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STANDARD LITERATURE 8ERIE8 

THE YODNG MAROONERS 

BY 

F. K. GOULDim 
U 


EDITED AND* ADAPTED FOR 
SCHOOL READING 


UNIVERSITY PUBLISHING COMPANY 
NEW YORK * BOSTON ♦ NEW ORLEANS 



THE LIBRAJf^Y.Oc 
CONGRE 5 ' 3 ,* ' 
Gnw.-F Rpoeiveo 

NOV a i90a 


OooV»(«MT eWTWV 




• Copyright, 1903 , by 
UNIVERSITY PUBLISHING COMPANY 

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PREFATORY NOTE 


The following story is not mere fiction. Its in- 
cidents were for the most part actual occurrences, 
and the scenes described are such as may readily be 
observed along the west coast of Florida. The 
writer has availed himself of the experiences of his 
dramatis personoi to set forth in an instructive and 
entertaining way many facts in nature, and to com- 
municate to his readers many common-sense ex- 
pedients which are as useful in ordinary life as they 
were found to be in that of the Marooners.’’ 

The book was at first positively declined by the 
publishers to whom the author offered it, but was 
brought out by a discerning Philadelphia house. It 
immediately attained great popularity, three editions 
being called for during the first year of its publica- 
tion. Its fame crossed the Atlantic, and in no long 
time editions were issued by six houses in England 
and Scotland. 

Dr. Goulding, the author, w^as bom in Georgia in 
1810, and died in 1881. The Young Marooners ’’ 
appeared in 1852. 








CONTENTS 


CHAPTER I 

PAGE 

Ihe company — Embarkation — Mother Cary’s chickens — Fishing — 

The sawfish — Shark — Nautilus — Arrival at Tampa . . . 1 


CHAPTER IT 

Marooning and the marooning party 10 


CHAPTER HI 

Embarkation — Abduction — Efforts to escape — Alternate hopes 
and fears — Vessel in the distance — Renewed hopes and ef- 
forts — Waterspout — Flash of lightning and its effect — Mak- 
ing for shore 15 


CHAPTER TV 

Marooning breakfast — Search for water — Oyster bank — Wild 

turkeys 29 


CHAPTER V 

Discussion of plans — Doubts — Differences of opinion — What was 
agreed upon — Baking a turkey without an oven — A signal set 
— Voyage — Appearance of the country — Wild orange trees . 33 


CHAPTER VI 

The live oak — Unloading — Fishing excursion — Harold’s still hunt 
— Curing venison — Marooning cookery — The vegetable garden 
— Plans for return * 41 


Yi 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTER VII 

A storm— Loss of the boat— Sagacity of dogs— Search for the 
boat— Exciting adventure— Unexpected news . . . . 

CHAPTER VHI 

Examination of articles in the tent— Smoke signal— Brute mes- 
senger— Blazing the trees— Raft— Voyage— Disastrous ex- 
pedition — New's from home — Return to the tent . 

CHAPTER IX 

Night landing — Carrying a wounded person — Splintering a limb . 

CHAPTER X 

Sam’s story — Depression after excitement — Great misfortune 

CHAPTER XI 

Speculations and resolves — Fishing — Inventory of goods — Roasted 
fish — Palmetto cabbage — Tour — Sea-shells, their uses — The 
pelican — Nature of the country — Still hunting — Wild turkeys 
again — Work of the tent 

CHAPTER XII 

Rainy day — Hunting oppossums 


CHAPTER XHI 

A hunter’s misfortune — Relief to a sprain — How to avoid being 
• lost in the woods, and to recover one’s course after being lost 
— A still hunt 


CHAPTER XIV 

Crutches in demand— Curing venison— Turkey trough— Solitary 
watching — Fearful encounter 


PAGE 

51 


60 


71 


75 


84 


94 


97 


104 


CONTENTS 


vii 


CHAPTER XV 

I’AGE 

Turkey-pen — Exploring tour — “ Madame Bruin ” — Night in the 

woods — Prairie — Indian hut — Fruit trees — Return home . 112 

CHAPTER XVI 

Plans — Visit to the prairie — Discoveries — Shoemaking — Water- 
fowl 122 


CHAPTER XVH 

Removal to the prairie — Night robbery — Fold — Dangerous trap — 

Mysterious signals — Bitter disappointment .... 129 

CHAPTER XVIII 

Turkey in trap — Mary’s adventure with a bear — Novel defense — 
Protecting the tent 141 


CHAPTER XIX 

-Labor-saving device — Christmas voyage — Battle with bear — The 

cubs 148 


CHAPTER XX 

Launching the boats — More work — Eclipse of February 12th, 1831 

— Preparing for a voyage — Rain, rain 157 


CHAPTER XXI 

Voyage round the island — Strange signals again — Hurricane — 
Night march — Helpless vessel — Melancholy fate — The rescue 
— Marooners’ hospitality — Conclusion 159 




THE YOUNG MAROONERS 


CHAPTER I 

THE COMPANY — EMBARKATION — MOTHER CARY’S 

CHICKENS — FISHING — THE SAWFISH — SHARK — NAU- 
TILUS — ARRIVAL AT TAMPA. 

On Saturday, the 21st of August, 1830, a small 
brig left Charleston, South Carolina, hound for 
Tampa, Florida. On board were nine passengers; 
Dr. Gordon, his three children, Robert, Mary, and 
Frank; his sister’s son, Harold McIntosh, and four 
servants. 

Dr. Gordon was a wealthy physician of Georgia. 
Mrs. Gordon was in feeble health, and her husband 
felt convinced that the only hope of saving her life 
was to seek for her a climate even more bland than 
that of Georgia. 

Tampa is a military post of the United States. 
Dr. Gordon had formerly visited it, and was so de- 
lighted with its soft Italian climate, and with the 
wild beauty of its shores, that he had purchased a 
choice lot in the vicinity of the fort, and ever after 
had looked forward to the time when he might have 
some excuse for removing there. That time had 
now come. So, leaving his wife with her relatives, 
he went to Tampa for the purpose of preparing a 
dwelling suitable for her reception. 


2 


THE YOUKG MAROONERS. 


Eobert Gordon, tlie doctor's oldest son, now nearly 
fourteen years of age, bad a great thirst for knowl- 
edge. Stimulated continually by the instructive con- 
versation of his father, who spared no pains in his 
education, he drew rapidly from all the sources 
opened to him by books, society, and nature.^ His 
finely developed mind was decidedly of a thoughtful 
cast. Partaking, however, of the delicate constitu- 
tion of his mother, he was often averse to those ath- 
letic exercises which became his age, and by which 
he would have been fitted for a more vigorous and 
useful manhood. 

Harold McIntosh, a half year older than his cousin, 
was of a robust constitution and active habit, with 
little inclination for books. From the fact that his 
father cared more for manly daring than for intellect- 
ual culture, the boy’s education had been neglected. 
A large portion of his leisure time had been spent 
in visiting an old Indian named Torgah, who lived in 
the neighborhood of his father’s home, and gleaning 
from him by conversation and practice, that knowl- 
edge of wood-craft, which an Indian’s experience can 
well furnish, and which possesses so romantic a 
charm for American boys. 

The cousins were very much attached. Each ad- 
mired the other’s excellences, and envied the other’s 
accomplishments; and the parents had good reason 
to hope that they would be of decided benefit to each 
other. And so it proved, as we shall read in the 
following story. 

An incident of interest occurred during the early 


THE YOUNG MAROON ERS 


3 


part of the voyage to Tampa. Mary and Frank, hav- 
ing recovered from their seasickness, were engaged 
with childish glee in fishing from the stem windows. 
Mary was trying to catch Mother Caryls chickens— 
a species of ‘ ^ poultry ’ ^ well known to those who go 
to sea. Her apparatus consisted of a strong thread, 
twenty or thirty yards long, having divers loops 
upon it, and baited at the end with a little tuft 
of red. She had not succeeded in taking any, when 
one, more daring than the rest, became entangled 
in the thread, and Mary eagerly drew it towards her, 
exclaiming, I have caught it! I have caught it! ’’ 
Ere, however, she could bring it within arm’s length, 
the struggling bird had escaped. 

Frank had obtained a large fish-hook, which he 
tied to a piece of twine, and baited with some raw 
beef; and he was fishing, he said, for trout. A few 
minutes after Mary ’s adventure with the bird, he saw 
a great fish, twice as long as himself, having an 
enormous snout, set on both sides with a multitude of 
sharp teeth, following in the vessel’s wake. He drew 
himself quickly into the window, exclaiming, Look, 
sister, look! ” 

I should not like to hook that fellow,” said 
Frank, for I am sure I could not pull him in.” 

No,” replied Mary, and I should not like to 
have such an ugly fellow on board. ’ ’ 

What a long nose he has,” said Frank. I 
wonder what he can do with such a nose, and with all 
those teeth on the outside of it— only see, sister, teeth 
on his nose! ” 


4 


THE YOUNH MAKOONERS 


'' I do not know,’' slie answered, '' but we can, 
ask fattier when we go on deck.” 

Thus they chatted nntil Mary called out,^ '' See, 
Frank, there is a black piece of wood sticking out 
of the water. See how it floats after us! No, it can- 
not be a piece of wood, for it swims from side to side. 
It must be a fish. It is! Draw in your head, Frank. ” 

Unsuccessful in his trout fishing, Frank had at- 
tached a red silk handkerchief to his line, and was 
amusing himself by letting it down so as to touch the 
wavetops as the vessel sped along. 

When Mary said, ^ ^ It must be a fish, ’ ’ he espied a 
huge creature swimming almost under him, and look- 
ing up hungrily to the window where they were. A 
moment after it leaped directly towards them. Both 
screamed with terror, and Frank’s wrist was jerked 
so violently, and pained him so much, that he was 
certain his hand had been bitten off. He was about 
to scream again; but looking down, he found his 
hand was safe, and the next moment saw the fish 
swimming away with the end of the handkerchief 
hanging from its mouth. The fish was a shark. It 
had been attracted probably by the smell of Frank ’s 
bait, and by the sight of the red silk. When he drew 
his handkerchief from the water, the fish leaped after 
it, and jerked the twine which had been wound round 
his wrist. From that time the children ceased all 
fishing from the cabin windows. 

The history of that fishing, however, was not yet 
ended. On the day following the sky became very 
threatening. The sailors, as well as passengers, 


THE YOUNG MAROONERS 


5 


looked at it with awe, and an old salt was heard 
to mutter, as he ominously shook his head, 

IVe never seen the like of that but something 
was sure to come after. Yes,’^ he continued, looking 
sullenly at Mary and Frank, and yesterday, when 
I was at the stem, I saw a chicken flutter in a 
string. ’ ’ 

^ ^ A chicken, Tom ? ^ ’ inquired the captain, looking 
at the little culprits. Ah, have any of my young 
friends been troubling the sailor’s pets? ” 

No, sir,” responded Prank, promptly and in- 
dignantly. ^ AYe did not trouble anybody ’s chickens. 
I only went to the coop, and pulled the old drake’s 
tail; but I did that to make him look at the bread I 
brought him. ” 

‘A do not mean the chickens on board, but the 
chickens that fly around us— Mother Cary’s chick- 
ens, ’ ’ said the captain, trying hard to smother down 
a laugh. Don’t you know that they all belong to 
the sailors, and that whoever troubles them is sure 
to bring trouble on the ship? ” 

No, sir,” Frank persisted, evidently convinced 
that the captain was trying to tease him. I did 
not know that they belonged to afiybody. I thought 
that they were all wild.” 

Mary timidly answered, I did not catch it sir; 
I only tangled it in the thread, and it got away before 
I touched it. ’ ’ 

Well, Tom,” said the captain to the sailor, who 
seemed to be in doubt, after Frank ’s defense, whether 
to appear pleased or angry, I think you will have 


6 


the young maroon p:ks 


to forgive them this time, especially as the shark 
took it in hand to punish them, and ran away with 
the little fellow's handkerchief." 

Old Tom smiled grimly at the allusion to the 
shark; for he had been sitting quietly in the jolly 
boat picking rope, and had witnessed the whole 
adventure. 

The wind, which had continued favorable ever 
since they left Charleston, now gradually died away. 
The boatswain whistled often to bring it back; but 
it was like ‘‘ calling spirits from the vasty deep." 
The sails hung listlessly, and moved only as the ves- 
sel rocked sluggishly upon the scarcely undulating 
surface. The only circumstance which enlivened this 
scene was the appearance of a nautilus, or Portu- 
guese man-of-war. ' ' Mary was the first to discover it. 
She fancied that it was a tiny toy boat, launched 
by some child on shore, and wafted by the wind to 
this distant point. It was certainly a toy vessel, 
though one of nature's workmanship; for there was 
the floating body corresponding to the hull, and in it 
the living passenger; there were the sails which could 
be spread or furled at will, and the oars (Mary could 
see them move) by*which the little adventurer pad- 
died itself along. 

The young people were very anxious to obtain the 
tiny craft. Frank went first to old Tom Starboard 
(as the sailor was called who had scolded him and 
Mary, but who was now on excellent terms with, 
both) to ask whether they might have the nautilus, 
if they could catch it. 


THE YOUNG MAROONEKS 


7 


Have tlie man-o ^-war ! exclaimed tlie old man, 
opening wide liis eyes, who ever lieered of sicli a 
thing? 0 yes, have it, if yon can get it; but how 
will you do that? ’’ 

‘ ^ Brother Eobeid and cousin Harold will row after 
it and pick it up, if the captain will let them have his 
boat/’ 

Tom chuckled at the idea, and said he doubted 
not the captain would let them have his boat, and 
be glad, too, to see the fun. Frank then went to the 
captain, and told him that old Tom had given him 
leave to have the man-of-war, if he could get it; 
and that his brother and cousin would go out and 
pick it up, if the captain would let them have his 
boat. With a good-natured smile, the captain 
answered. 

You are perfectly welcome to the boat, my boy; 
but if your brother and cousin catch that little sailor 
out there, they will be much smarter than most 
people. ’ ’ 

‘ ^ Can they not pick it up ? ” 

‘ ‘ Easily enough, if it will wait till they come. But 
if they do not wish to be hurt, they had better take 
a basket or net for dipping it from the water. ’ ’ 

Frank went finally to his father to obtain his con- 
sent, which after a moment’s hesitation was granted, 
the doctor well knowing what the probable result 
would be, yet pleased to afford them any innocent 
amusement by which to enliven their voyage. 

Tom,” said the captain, lower away the jolly 
boat, and do you go with these young gentlemen. 


8 


THE YOUNH MAROONERS 


Kow softly as you can, and give them the best chance 
for getting what they want.’’ 

The boat was soon alongside. Old Tom slid down 
by a rope, but Kobert and Harold were let down 
more securely. They shoved off from the vessel’s 
side, and glided so noiselessly along, that the water 
was scarcely rippled. Harold stood in the bow, and 
Eobert amidships, one with a basket, and the other 
with a scoop net, ready to dip the nautilus from the 
water. A cat creeping upon a bird could not have 
been more stealthy in its approach. But somehow 
the sensitive little thing became aware of its danger, 
and ere the boat’s prow had come within ten feet, 
it quickly drew in its many arms, and sank like lead 
out of sight.” 

Uinpli! ” said old Tom, with an expressive 
grunt, I said you might have it, if you could catch 
it.” 

On the first day of September the voyagers ap- 
proached some islands, tasseled above with lofty 
palmettoes, and varied beneath with eyery hue of 
green. Between these islands the vessel passed. It 
was so near to one that the passengers could see a 
herd of deer peeping at them through the thin 
growth of the bluff, and a flock of wild turkeys flying 
to a distant grove. 

Beyond the islands lay, in perfect repose, the 
waters of Tampa Bay. 

This bay is a perfect gem of its kind. Eunning 
eastward from the Gulf for twelve or fifteen miles, 
then turning suddenly to the north, it is so sheltered. 


THE YOUNG MAROONERS 


9 


that, except in case of severe westerly gales, its 
waters are ever qniet. Its beach is composed of sand 
and broken shells of such snowy whiteness as almost 
to dazzle the eye, and it slopes so gradually from the 
land, that, in many places, a child may wade for a 
great distance without danger. To those who bathe 
in its limpid waters it is a matter of curiosity to see, 
below, the slow-crawling conch, the nimble crab 
scampering off in haste, and fish and prawn dart- 
ing swiftly around. When the tide is down there is 
no turnpike in the world better fitted for a pleasure 
ride than that smooth, hard beach, from which no 
dust can rise, and which is nearly as level as a floor. 

The spot on which Dr. Gordon proposed to build 
commanded a view both of the fort and of the open 
sea, or rather of the green islands which guarded 
the mouth of the bay. There was already upon it 
a small house with two rooms, erected by a white 
adventurer, and afterwards sold to an Indian chief 
of the better class. Dr. Gordon had been orginally 
attracted by the picturesque beauty of its location, 
and, on closer inspection, still more interested by see- 
ing on each side of the chieDs door a large bell pep- 
per, that, having grown for years, untouched by frost, 
had attained the heiglit of eight or ten feet, and was 
covered all the year round with magnificent bells of 
green and crimson. The old chief was dead, and the 
premises had been vacated for more than a year. 

Late in the afternoon the brig anchored oppo- 
site this spot, to which Dr. Gordon had given the 
name of Bellevue. 


10 


THE YOUNG MAKOONERS 


CHAPTER II 

MAROOXIXG AND THE MAROONING PARTY. 

After reacliing Tampa, arrangements were made 
to liave a suitable bouse built as soon as possible. 

In tlie meantime the family bestowed themselves 
as best they could in the two rooms of the old Indian 
cabin. By the first of October the new dwelling was 
sufficiently advanced to allow the family to occupy 
it, and in a fortnight more the new kitchen was 
covered; but about this time it became necessary to 
do the inside work, which could be more easily ac- 
complished if the family were out of the way. So 
Dr. Gordon said to the young people. 

Children, I have a proposition to make. But 
before I do so, who can tell me what ^ marooning ’ 
means! ’’ 

All turned their eyes to Robert, whom they re- 
garded as a sort of walking dictionary; and he an- 
swered with a slight hesitation— ‘‘ I should say, liv- 
ing pretty much as we have lived since we came to 
Bellevue. ^ ’ 

‘‘ You are nearly right; but to be more exact, the 
word ‘ maroon ’ is of West India origin— coming, 
I think, from the island of Jamaica. It meant at first 
a free negro. Afterwards it came to mean a runaway 
negro. To maroon, therefore, means to go from home 
and live like a runaway negro. I wish to ask if any 
one present is in favor of marooning! ’’ 

All were silent, and Dr. Gordon continued, To 


THE YOUNG MAROONERS 


11 


maroon means also to go to some wild place, where 
there is plenty of game or fish, and to live upon what 
one can obtain by his own skill. Are there any per- 
sons now in favor of marooning? ’’ 

I am— and I— and I! was the universal re- 
sponse. When shall it be? Where shall it be? ” 

“ You are too fast,^’ said the doctor. I have 
two propositions to make. We must for a few days 
give up the house to the workmen. Now the ques- 
tion to be decided is, shall we return to the Indian 
cabin; or shall we go to Riley ^s * Island at the mouth 
of the bay, and spend our time among the deer and 
turkeys, the fish and oysters, of which we have heard 
so much? I will leave the decision to you.^’ 

Harold’s eyes flashed at the prospect of resuming 
his old employment. Still he said nothing. Robert 
looked at him, and in a moment caught the con- 
tagion. Indeed it seemed as if a sort of mesmeric 
influence swayed the whole party ; for they did noth- 
ing more than exchange with each other one hurried 
glance, and then unanimously cried out, Riley’s 
Island! Riley’s Island! ” 

^ ^ Remember, ’ ’ said Dr. Gordon, ^ ‘ that in maroon- 
ing we must w^ait upon ourselves. William is the 
only servant I can take. His time will be fully oc- 
cupied with cooking, and other duties belonging to 
the tent. We cannot depend on him for anything 
more than is absolutely necessary. Are you still of 
the same mind ? ’ ’ 

* Riley was a half-breed who often rendered little services to the doctor and his 
family. 


12 


THE YOUNG MAROONERS 


The same! ’’ they all replied. 

'' Still I will not hold you to your promises until 
you have had further time for reflection/^ said he. 
‘‘You may not have looked at all the difficulties of 
the case. I will give you until dinner-time to make 
up your minds; and to help your thoughts, I will 
assign to each of you an office, and make you re- 
sponsible for providing all things necessary for a 
week’s excursion, to begin in the morning. 

‘ ‘ Harold, I appoint you master of the hunting and 
fishing departments. 

‘ ‘ Robert shall be sailing-master. 

“ Mary shall be housekeeper, and mistress of the 
stores. 

“ And Master Frank shall be— I know not what 
to make him, unless supercargo.” 

“ Now I wish you each to make out a written list, 
to be presented to me at dinner-time, of all things 
needed in your several departments.” 

At the appointed hour they all assembled. Dr. 
Gordon said, “ I presume you have all made up your 
minds to go on the marooning expedition; am I 
correct? ” 

“ 0 yes, sir, yes,” was the answer, “ and we are 
all ready to report. ’ ’ 

‘‘ Really, you have done wonders! But let me call 
upon you each in turn. Harold McIntosh, you are 
master of the hunting and hshing departments. Let 
me hear your report.” 

Harold took from his pocket a piece of paper about 
as broad as his hand, and a little longer. Upon it 


THE YOUNG MAROONEKS 


13 


was a list of firearms and ammunition, fisliing-hooks, 
lines and nets. 

Mr. Hunting-master,’’ said the doctor, your 
list is perfect. Now Eobert, yours.” 

Eobert’s list embraced all that the boat would 
need for comfort, or for repair in case of accident. 

Your list,” said bis father, is also good.” 

Up to this time Frank bad been listening to what 
bad been read or spoken. But now, on a sign from 
Harold, be took a paper from bis pocket, and, look- 
ing at its contents, began capering round tlie 
room, saying, I can read it— I can read every word 
of it! ” 

^ ‘ Eead what I ’ ’ asked bis father. 

My list,” replied Frank, that cousin Harold 
wrote for me. I can read it all! ” 

‘ ‘ Then let us have it. ” 

Here,” said be, is my 
hatchet. 

^ ‘ And here are my bow and 
arrows. 

And here is my dog; only 
it is not half so pretty as 
Fidelle. 

^ ‘ And down here at the bot- 
tom is my box of matches, ’ ’ 



14 


THE YOUNG MAROONERS 


“ Bravo, Frank,” said liis father, ” your list may 
pass also.’^ 

” Now, Miss Mary, let us have yours. You have 
had more to think of than all the others put together, 
and yet I’ll warrant you are nearly as perfect in pro- 
IDortion. ’ ’ 

Mary blushed to hear the commendation bestowed 
upon her, and replied, ‘‘ I doubt it, father. For 
though my list is very long, I am all the while think- 
ing of something else to be added, and I am pretty 
sure there is a great deal yet that I have forgotten.'’ 
She then read her list, containing about thirty-five 
articles, and William’s, embracing half a dozen 
more; upon which her father continued to bestow 
praise for the housewifery they showed, while to 
each of the lists he made some slight additions. 

'' Now, William,” said he, ‘‘ do you select two 
boxes of moderate size, and aid Miss Mary to pack 
everything in her line so as not to crowd the boat. 
Remember, too, to put in for Riley a half bushel 
of salt, a loaf of sugar, and a peck of wheat flour. 
Pack the boat, and have it complete this evening, 
however late it may take you, that there may be 
no delay in the morning.” 

They were no sooner dismissed from table than 
all went vigorously to work. Guns were cleaned— 
hooks and lines examined and boxes packed. Then 
each person put up an extra suit or two of clothing, 
in case of accidents. And so expeditiously did the 
work go forward, that by five o’clock that evening 
the boat was ready for her trip. 


THE YOUNG MAROONERS 


15 


CHAPTER III 

EMBARKATION — ABDUCTION — EFFORTS TO ESCAPE — 
ALTERNATE HOPES AND FEARS — VESSEL IN THE 
DISTANCE — RENEWED HOPES AND EFFORTS — WATER- 
SPOUT — FLASH OF LIGHTNING AND ITS EFFECT — 
MAKING FOR SHORE. 

The party were all up and dressed at daybreak. 
They breakfasted as the sun was rising*. While at 
table no one could speak of anything but the voyage 
and the island, and what they expected to see and 
do. The boat was at the wharf, packed, and ready 
for departure, with tlie exception of a few things to 
be carried by hand. William had breakfasted at 
the same time with the family, and now came in, say- 
ing, All ready, sir.” 

Come, children,” said Dr. Gordon, let us go.” 

0 father,” exclaimed Mary, as they approached 
the shore, there is Nanny with her sweet little kids. 
See how anxiously she looks at the boat, and tries 
to say, ^ Do let me go too.’ Had we not better take 
her? You are so fond of milk in your coffee.” 

1 doubt,” he replied, whether there will be 
room in the boat for dogs, goats, and ourselves too. 
But we can easily determine; and as I know that all 
of you are as fond of milk as I am, I will let her go if 
there is room.” 

They took their places. Dr. Gordon at the .helm, 
Robert and Harold amidships, Mary and Frank next 
to their father, and IV illiam in the bow. EveiAdhing 


16 


THE YOUNG MAROONERS 


had been stowed so snugly away, and the boat was 
withal so roomy, that Nanny and her kids were in- | 
vited to embark. i 

Now, children, for order’s sake,” said Dr. i 
Gordon, I will assign the bow of the boat, where i 
William is, to Nanny and her kids; Fidelle must 
lie here by Frank, and Mum may go with Harold, i 
Mary, call your pet, and keep her in her place. ’ ’ 

A word about the dogs: Fidelle was a beautiful, , 
high-blooded spaniel, that might have been taught i 
anything which a dog can learn, but whose only 
accomplishments as yet were such tricks as were 
a source of amusement to her little master. Mum 
was a large, ugly, rough-looking cur, whose value 
would never have been suspected from his appear- ! 
ance. He was brave, faithful, and sagacious; strong, 
swift-footed, and obedient. But his chief value con- ! 
sisted in his education. He came from the pine bar- 
rens of Georgia, where Dr. Gordon had first seen and : 
purchased him, and where he had been trained, ac- 
cording to the custom of the wild woodsmen there, 
to hunt silently; and in following the trail of a deer 
or turkey to keep just in advance of his master, and 
to give suitable indications of being near the object 
of pursuit. Mum was no common dog; and he proved | 
of inestimable seiwice to the young adventurers in | 
their coming difficulties. 

Draw in the anchor, William, while I cast off ; 
at tlie stem,” said Dr. Gordon. But hold! let | 
us see what that means. ’ ’ He pointed with his finger 
to a horseman, who turned a point on the beach, and i 



Dwelling on the site of old Fort Brooke, Tampa. 

From a Photograph taken in 1903. 







If 


r It V 


« 






« 


$ 



THE YOUNG MAEOONERS 


17 


seeing them about to depart, waved his hat to say 
‘ ^ Stop ! ^ ’ The horseman rode at full speed, and soon 
was within speaking distance. He bore a note from 
the surgeon at Fort Brooke, requesting the loan of 
a certain instrument which Dr. Gordon had promised 
when on his visit, and for which there was now a 
sudden call. 

‘ ‘ Keep your places, children, ’ ^ said the doctor. ^ ^ I 
I shall be gone only five minutes. William, do you 
take my place, and keep the boat steady by holding 
to this frame.’’ 

He ascended the wharf, went with the soldier to 
the house, and was absent a very few minutes; but 
during that interval an event occurred which sep- 
arated him and his children for a long time, and 
made them often fear that they should never more 
I meet in this world. 

The position of the boat at the wharf was pecul- 
i iar. Her stem had been lashed to the timbers, for 
the purpose of keeping it steady, until all had em- 
barked; and the how was kept in its place by the 
anchor. The fastening of the stem having been cast 
' off, preparatory to leaving, William was now hold- 
I ing to the wharf, awaiting his master’s return. 

Scarcely had Dr. Gordon disappeared from the 
bluff, when the young people noticed a heavy ripple 
i on the water between them and the fort, indicating 
I that it was disturbed by a school of very large fish, 
j moving with rapidity through the water. 

What can they be? ” was a question which all 
asked, with a curiosity not unmixed with fear, as 


18 


the young marooners 


they looked upon the approaching waves. William 
held firmly to the pier head, that the boat should not 
be moved too roughly by the disturbed water. 

Mas’ Eobert,” said he, with anxious, dilating 
eyes, “ I do believe it is a school of dem debbil fish. 
Yes, it is. Dey making right for dis pint.” * 

The children sprang to their feet, and made a rush 
to the stern, intending to get out of the boat, but 
William put his hand against them, and exclaimed, 
“Back! Mas’ Kobert— Mas’ Harrol! All of you! 
You hab’nt time to git out! Here d^y come! Down 
on your seats! For massy’s sake, down! ebery- 
body! ” 

They were about to obey, when a jerk of the boat 
threw them flat on their faces. They heard Wil- 
liam’s voice crying hoarsely, “ 0 Lord hab ” 

but, when they rose and looked around, they saw 
that he was missing, and that their boat was rushing 
onward with a swiftness that made the water boil. 

“ William! AVilliam! ” Eobert called in bewilder- 
ment; but no answer came, and they saw him no 
more. 

“ 0 mercy! Brother Eobert! Cousin Harold! ” 
cried Mar^^, “ what is the matter? ” 

Eobert looked vacantly towards the receding 

* The devil fish is a flat fish, belonging to the family of Rays. The adult fish 
measures between ten and twenty feet from tip to tip of its fins. On each side of its 
mouth is a flexible organ with which the animal grasps. It seldom lets go anything 
which it once seizes. A few years since, one was discovered dead upon a mud flat near 
St. Mary’s, Georgia, grasping, even in death, a strong stake of which it had taken hold 
during high water. The incident related in the following pages is in perfect keeping 
with the habits of the fish. A similar adventure actually took place some years ago in 
the bay of Charleston. On every occasion of serious alarm the fish makes for the deep 
water of the ocean. 


THE YOUNG MAKOONERS 


19 


i shore. Harold answered, One of these fish has 
caught up our anchor, and is carrying us out to sea. ’ ^ 
j The dreadful truth was evident.' Mary screamed 
I and fell hack senseless. Robert started up as though 
j about to spring from the boat. Harold hastened to 
i the bow of the boat. As for poor little Frank, it was 
! not for some moments that he could realize the state 
of the case; but when he did, his exhibition of dis- 
1 tress was affecting. He stretched his hands towards 
home ; and as he saw his father running to the bluff, 
he called out, 0 father, help us— dear father! 0 
* send a boat after us! 

By this time the boat had passed fully half a mile 
I from shore. Harold’s movement forward had been 
' made with the intention of doing something, he knew 
not what, to relieve the boat from the grasp of the 
devil fish. He first seized his rifle, and standing upon 
the forward platform, aimed it at the back of the 
I monster, which could be distinctly seen at two 
fathoms’ distance, clutching the chain which consti- 
tuted their cable. Despairing of reaching him with 
a ball through the intervening water, he laid aside 
the rifle, and seizing William’s ax, struck several 
blows on the cable chain; but the chain was com- 
posed of links unusually strong, and the blows of 
the ax produced no elfect upon them. 

Robert,” said he, look for Frank’s hatclfet, 
and come here.” But Robert, stupefied with fear, 
sat staring at him from beside his prostrate sister 
and weeping brother, and seemed neither to under- 
stand nor to hear. 


20 THE YOUNGr MAKOONEKS 

“ Robert,” be repeated, ‘‘ get up, and be a man. 
Bring Frank’s batcliet, and help me to break this 
chain. ’ ^ 

Still he did not come. It is no use, Harold, ’’ 
he replied. Do you not see that sister is dead? 
.William is dead too! We shall all die! 

‘‘Eobert! Eobert! ’’ he reiterated, almost with 
a threat, do rouse up and be a man. Mary is 
not dead, she has only fainted; she will come to 
directly. Come here and help me.’' 

As he said, '' She has only fainted,” Eobert 
sprang from his seat, took otf his cap, dipped it full 
of water, poured it on her face, rubbed her palms 
and wrists to start the blood into circulation, and 
then fanned her with his wet cap. In the course of a 
minute Mary began to breathe more freely, and then 
to sigh. 

Thank God! ” he exclaimed, she has only 
fainted! she is coming to! Frank, do you fan her 
now, and I will help Harold. ’ ’ 

But Harold had helped himself. Going to Frank 's 
parcel, he had taken out the hatchet, and returned 
to the bow, where he was now adjusting the ax, 
preparatory to his work. There Eobert,” on his 
coming up, ‘‘ do you hold the ax under the chain, 
while I strike this link with the hatchet. ’ ’ 

He did so, and Harold struck a blow upon the 
chain, so heavy that it rang again. Instantly they 
staggered, and fell backwards. The sharp sound 
of the hatchet upon the links had been conveyed 
along the chain to the fish, and made it dart for- 


THE YOUNG MAEOONERS 


21 


ward with a sudden jerk. Harold rose, and looked 
on a moment. We can’t help his being frightened, 
Kobert. We must break the chain. Let us try again. ’ ’ 

He struck blow after blow, though the fish seemed 
to be affected by each as by an electric shock. Rob- 
ert held back his arm. Stop! stop! Harold, we 
are sinking! ” And it seemed as if they were. The 
fish, frightened by the repeated sounds, had gone 
down so far as to sink the bow of the boat within a 
few inches of the water. But Harold was not to be 
stopped. He struck again and again, until the water 
began to ripple over the bow, and splash upon his 
hand. He stopped, and tears came into his eyes. 

^ ^ Look, Harold, at the staple, ’ ’ said Robert. ^ ^ Let 
us see if that cannot be started.” They tried it, 
striking from side to side, but in vain. The boat was 
too well made; the staple was too large, and too 
firmly imbedded in the timber to be disturbed; and, 
moreover, it was guarded by an iron plate all around. 
Harold decided that it was easier to break the chain. 

Is there not a file or a cold-chisel among the 
tools! ” he asked. They rummaged among the sev- 
eral boxes and parcels, but no tool of the kind could 
be found; and then they sat down sadly dispirited. 

By this time the boat had passed out of the bay. 
The persons on shore, the houses, indeed the very 
trees which marked the place of their abode, had 
faded successively from sight. They had been run- 
ning through the water at a fearful rate, for an hour 
and a half, and were now in the broad open Gulf, 
moving as madly as before. The frightened fish, 


22 


THE YOUNG MAROONEKS 


still grasping the chain, had outstripped its com- 
panions, and after passing out of the bay had turned 
southward. 

There is Eiley’s Island! said Kobert, pointing 
to a grove of tall palmettoes which they were pass- 
ing. ^ * And yonder is a boat, near shore, with a man 
in it. 0, if Eiley could see us, and come after us! 
And yet what if he should! No boat can be moved 
by wind or paddle as we are moving. ’ ’ 

Up to this moment Harold had been the life and 
soul of the party. His courage and energy had in- 
spired the rest with confidence. But now that his 
strong spirit gave way, and he sunk upon his seat, 
and burst into tears, it seemed that all hope was 
gone. Eobert seated himself by Mary, in the hinder 
part of the boat. Frank had long since cried himself 
to sleep, and there he lay sobbing in his slumbers, 
with his head in Mary’s lap. Mary was still pale 
from anxiety. Having recovered by means of the 
water and fanning, she had summoned her fortitude, 
and tried to comfort Frank with the hope that 
Harold and Eobert would succeed in breaking the j 
chain, and that then they would spread their sail - 
and return home. When Eobert took his seat, Frank j 
awoke, and asked for water. J 

Sister Mary,” said he, where is father? I \ 
thought he was here.” ; 

No, budder,” she replied, her eyes filling to \ 
think that he had awaked to so sad a reality, ' ‘ father 
is at home. ’ ’ 

0, sister,” said he, '' I dreamed that father was 


THE YOUNG MAROONERS 


23 


with Hs, that he prayed to God to help us, and God 
made the fish let go, and we all went home. Brother 
Robert, have you broken that chain? 

Robert did not answer. He was in tears. 

‘‘ Brother Robert,^’ said Mary, speaking through 
her own tears, ^ ‘ we must not give up. The fish will 
have to let go some time or other, and then may be 
some ship will pass by, and take us up. Remember 
how long people have floated upon broken pieces of 
a wreck, even without any thing to eat, while we 
have plenty of food for a month. Brother Robert 
and cousin Harold, do try to be comforted. ’ ’ 

She got the water for Frank, and gave him some- 
thing to eat. ‘ ‘ Brother, ’ ^ she added, ‘ ^ you and cou- 
sin Harold have worked hard, and eaten nothing. 
Will you not take something? There are some nice 
cakes. Both declined. Well, here is some water. 
I know you must be thirsty. ’ ^ 

Harold was so much surprised to see a girl of 
Mary’s age and gentle spirit exercising more self- 
control than himself, that he was shamed out of 
his despair. He did not then know that trait in the 
female character, which fits her to comfort when the 
stronger spirit has been overwhelfned. He drank a 
mouthful of the water. She handed it also to Robert, 
but he pushed it away, saying, No, sister, I do 
not want anything now. We have done all that we 
could. ’ ’ 

Just then Frank called out, Brother, what is that 
yonder? Isn’t it a boat coming to meet us? ” 

Their eyes turned in the direction of Frank’s fin- 


24 


THE YOUNG MAROONERS 


ger, and it was plain that a sail had heaved into the 
offing far away to the south, and almost in their 
course. The sun shone upon the snow-white canvas. 

“ God he praised! ex-claiined Robert; that is a 
vessel! Who knows but we may meet her, and 
be saved? 

Let us try her with the spyglass,'' he added; 
and, drawing it out to its proper length, he gazed 
steadily at her for a minute. ‘‘ She is rigged like a 
revenue cutter," he said. '' She is coming this way, 
and if she is a cutter, she is almost certainly bound 
for Tampa, and can take us home again." 

Rig up a signal, and load the guns," replied 
Robert. Quick, sister, get me a sheet! " 

In the course of fifteen minutes they had the sheet 
rigged and floating; and by the time the guns were 
loaded, they could clearly discern not only the hull, 
but the portholes of the vessel. There was no further 
doubt that she was a revenue cutter bound for Tampa. 
Still it became every moment more certain that with- 
out some change in the course of one or the other, 
they must pass at a considerable distance. Now what 
should they do ? The sky, which had been gradually 
clouding over sinc*e they saw the vessel, was by this 
time heavily overcast. Fearful that rain might fall, 
and utterly obscure their signal before it was seen, 
the boys resolved to fire their guns, while there was 
reasonable hope that they could be heard. At the 
first discharge the fish, which had probably been 
frightened in the morning by the cannon at the fort, 
jerked so terribly as almost to unseat them. At the 


THE YOUNG MAROONERS 


25 


discharge of the remaining guns it seemed less and 
less alarmed, until finally it ceased darting altogether. 
Its strength was failing. Soon afterwards they saw 
the smoke of two cannon from the vessel, and then a 
flag run up the mast. They see us! They see us! 
cried Eobert and Mary. 

^ ^ But can they help us ? ’ ’ asked Harold. ‘ ‘ Here 
we are running between them and the shore, faster 
than any vessel can sail except in a storm. There 
is scarcely wind enough to fill their sails, and what 
there is is against their coming to our aid. Robert, 
we must break that chain, or all is lost.” 

There was apparently some bustle on board the 
cutter. Many persons could be distinguished by the 
glass looking at them and at the clouds. They were 
preparing to lower a boat, yet with manifest hesita- 
tion. This was explained by the singular appearance 
of a cloud between the boat and the vessel. It had 
become exceedingly dark and angry. A portion in 
the middle assumed the shape of a trumpet, and 
descended with a sharp point toward the water; 
while a thick column ascended from the sea to meet 
it ; and the sea boiled in terrible commotion. 

^ ^ It is a water-spout ! ’ ^ said Eobert ; ^ ^ if it strikes 
the vessel, she is gone. Look there, Harold, look! ” 

The cutter began to give sensible evidence of the 
whirling eddy. Her sails flapped violently against 
the masts. Soon they heard boom! boom! the roar 
of two more cannon, fired, no doubt, for the purpose 
of breaking the water-spout. They saw the column 
gradually ascend, and spread itself into a dark mass 


26 


THE YOUNG MAROONERS 


of cloud, wliicli poured out sucli a sliower of rain as 
entirely to liide tlie vessel from siglit. Afterwards 
they heard another cannon. ‘ ‘ That is for us, ’ ’ Rob- 
ert said; “ let us answer it as well as we can.” 



WATERSPOUT. — (Fi’om photograph.) 


They fired gun after gun, and heard cannon after 
cannon in reply, but each fainter than before. Their 
last hope of being saved by the vessel was gone. She 
was far away, and hidden by the heavy rain which 
was falling all around her. There had been no rain 
upon themselves, but it was very dark overhead, and 


THE YOUNG MAROONERS 


27 


threatened both rain and wind. They were far from 
home— how far they could not guess, and far, too, 
from the barely visible shore. The boys were sink- 
ing rapidly into that moody despair which is natural 
after strong yet fruitless exertion, when- a sharp flash 
of lightning struck in the water about one hundred 
yards before them. So near was it, and so dazzling, 
that they were almost blinded by its brightness, and 
stunned by the report. Their boat instantly relaxed 
its speed, and was soon motionless upon the water. 
The boys rushed to the bow. Their cable hung per- 
pendicularly down, and the fish was nowhere to be 
seen. It had darted back from the lightning flash, 
and allowed the cable to slip from its grasp. 

The shore was fully seven miles away. It was 
probably wild and barren. It might be difficult of 
approach, and inhospitable after they should land. 
But gladly did they draw aboard their anchor, raise 
their sail, and make toward it. The sea was smooth, 
but there was wind enough to fill their sails, and give 
promise of their reaching the shore before night. 
Kobert took the helm, and Harold managed the sails. 
Mary once more brought out her cakes and other eat- 
ables. Frank laughed from very pleasure; and sel- 
dom, if ever, had a happier looking company been 
seen, going to a strange and perhaps a hostile coast. 

Far as the eye could reach, to the north and south, 
there was a bluff of white sand, varied here and there 
by a hillock, higher than the rest, which the winds 
had blown up from the beach. Before them was an 
inlet of some sort— whether a small bay, the mouth 


28 


THE YOUNG MAROONERS 


of a river, or an ann of the sea, they could not deter- 
mine. It was fringed on the south with a richly 
colored forest, and oh the north by a growth of rank 
mangroves. Into this inlet they steered, anxious only 
for a safe anchorage during the night. A little before 
sunset they reached a pleasant landing-place, on 
the southern shore, near the forest; and having been 
confined all day to the boat, they were glad enough 
to relieve themselves from their wearisome inaction, 
by a few minutes^ exercise on land. Harold first as- 
cended the bluff, and looked in every direction to see 
if there was any sign of inhabitants. No house or 
smoke was visible; nothing but an apparently un- 
touched forest to the left, and a sandy, sterile coun- 
try to the right. 

‘‘ Cousins,’^ said he, I think we may safely sleep 
on the beach to-night. AVith our dogs to guard, 
nothing can approach without our knowledge. 
I am almost afraid to anchor in the stream, for 
fear that we may be carried off by another devil 
fish. ’ ^ 

To this proposal they agreed. Their tent was 
handily contrived, requiring only a few minutes for 
its erection; and while Mary and Frank drove down 
the tent-pins, Harold and Robert brought into it 
their cloaks and blankets for sleeping, together with 
the guns, and other necessaries for comfort and 
safety. 

As the darkness closed round them, its gloom was 
relieved by the ruddy blaze of a fire, which Robert 
and Harold had made with dried branches from a 


THE YOUNG MAROONEKS 


29 


fallen oak, and kindled with Frank ’s matches. Mary 
soon had some tea prepared, which they found de- 
lightfully refreshing. Immediately after it, Harold 
remarked, 

I have no doubt that from the bottom of our 
hearts we do thank God for our deliverance; but I 
think we ought to express our thanks aloud, before 
we go to sleep. 

They then knelt down together, and united in 
repeating aloud the Lord ^s Prayer, as they had been 
accustomed to do with their father in family worship. 
It was done with an earnestness, however, that they 
never had felt before, and that was perceptible in 
every word and tone. 

They made the boat secure by drawing the anchor 
well upon the beach. Then spreading their cloaks 
and blankets upon the dry sand, they lay down to 
rest. Their dogs kept watch at the door of the tent ; 
and they slept soundly, and without the least dis- 
turbance, during the whole of this, the first night of 
their marooning life. 


CHAPTER IV 

MAROONING BREAKFAST— SEARCH FOR WATER — 
OYSTER BANK— WILD TURKEYS. 

Shortly after daylight they rose, kindled a fire, 
and had breakfast. It made Frank laugh to see how 
awkward everything appeared. There was no table. 


30 


THE YOUNG MAROONERS 


and of course there were no chairs. It was a regular 
marooning breakfast. 

'' I think that our first business this morning is 
to look for water/ ^ remarked Harold, while they 
were sitting together. ^ ^ The goat seems to be very 
thirsty, and, as our jug is half empty, it will not be 
long before we shall be thirsty too. But shall Mary 
and Frank stay at the tent, or shall we all go to- 
gether? ” 

0 let us all go together,’’ said Mary, speaking 
quickly. ‘ ^ There may not be anything here to hurt 
us, but if there should be, what could Frank and I 
do to help ourselves? ” 

‘ ^ Then together let us go, ’ ’ Eobert decided. 

They ascended the bluff, and looked in every direc- 
tion, to ascertain, if possible, where they might obtain 
what they wished; but nowhere could they discern 
any sign of water. ' 

It will put us to great inconvenience if we are i 
not able to obtain fresh water,” remarked Harold. I 
We shall be compelled to move our quarters with- I 
out delay ; for our supply cannot last long. However ; 
there is no such thing as trying. Which way shall i 
we move? J 

Towards the sea,” replied Eobert. There is i 
one fact about a sandy coast, that perhaps you have 
had no occasion to know— that often the best water 
is found on the open beach, at just about high-water 
mark. I have heard father explain this by saying 
that rain water is lighter than that which is salt; 
and that the rain probably filters through the sandy 


THE YOUNG MAROONERS 


31 


soil of the coast, and finds its vent jnst above the 
ordinary surface of the sea. I think, therefore, our 
best chance for finding fresh water is on the sea- 
shore. ’ ^ 

They had not proceeded far along the bluff before 
they heard a loud rushing in the air, and, looking up, 
they saw what Mary and Frank supposed to he buz- 
zards, flying rapidly towards the forest, and passing 
very near them. What can they be! ’’ inquired 
Eobert, in momentary doubt. Why, Harold, they 
are turkeys ! wild turkeys ! ’ ^ 

But as he uttered the words wild turkeys, 
bang! went Harold’s rifle, and down fluttered a gob- 
bler, with his wing broken. Here, Mum! ” he 
shouted ; but Mum knew his business too well to need 
exhortation, for by the time the bird had scrambled 
to its legs Mum had seized and held it, until Harold 
put an end to its struggles by cutting off its head. 

Here, now, is a fine dinner,” said he, lifting it; 
^ ^ only feel how heavy he is. ’ ’ 

Yes, indeed,” replied Eobert; and that was a 
quick shot of yours, Mr. Harold— with a rifle too. I 
wonder I did not think of shooting; but I was in 
doubt what they were.” 

What a lovely fan his tail will make! ” ex- 
claimed Mary, examining the rich stripes of black 
and brown that marked the end of the feathers. 

Let us leave the turkey hanging in this tree to 
bleed, until we return,” said Harold; we must look 
for water now. ’ ’ 

Tliey went back to the beach, and walked along the 


32 


THE YOUNG MAROONERS 


smooth, hard sand. The tide, or rather “ half 
tide ’’ (as it is called on the coast), having an ebb 
and flow, each of three hours, was nearly down, 
and they had a full opportunity for the proposed 
search. 

There is water somewhere hereabout, you may 
be sure, ’ ’ said Harold, pointing to tracks of the dogs, 
made during the night, and partly obliterated by the 
tide. ‘ ‘ Our dogs passed here last night before high 
water, and they look as if they had had plenty both 
to eat and to drink. ’ ’ 

After they had walked about a quarter of a mile 
Eobert called out, Here is the water! and here are 
the dogs’ tracks all about and in it. Get out you 
Mum!— begone Fidelle! ” he added, as the dogs 
trotted up, intending to drink again. The water was 
good and in great abundance. The party quenched 
their thirst, and were preparing to return for the 
bucket to carry home a supply, when Harold sug- ; 
gested that they should pursue the tracks of the dogs , 
a little further, and learn what the creatures had ob- | 
tained to eat. I perceive not far off,” said he, 1 
‘ ^ what appears to be an oyster bank ; but do dogs eat ! 
oysters ? ” j 

They proceeded to the spot, and found a large I 
bank of uncommonly fine oysters. It was an easy | 
task for those who knew how to do it, to break the 
edge of the shells, cut the binding muscle with a , 
pocket-knife, and thus open the oysters. 

The young people gathered as many oysters as 
they could carry in their hands, and, reaching the 


THE YOIINCI MAROONEliS 


33 


tent at about ten o’clock, began preparing them, to- 
gether with their game, for the table. 

The transformation of the turkey’s tail into a fan 
was undertaken by Harold. He cut off the tail-bone, 
with the feathers attached, and having removed 
every particle of flesh and cartilage not necessary for 
keeping the feathers together, he stretched it like a 
fan, and spread it in the sun to dry. 


CHAPTER V 

DISCUSSIOIS’ OF PLAIS^S — DOUBTS — DIFFERENCES OF 
OPINION — WHAT WAS AGREED UPON — BAKING A 
TURKEY WITHOUT AN OVEN — A SIGNAL SET — VOY- 
AGE — APPEARANCE OF THE COUNTRY — WILD ORANGE 
TREES. 

Really, this is a fine country! ” said Robert, re- 
ferring, with the air of a feasted epicure, to the 
abundant marooning dinner from which he had 
risen. Wild turkey and oysters! I doubt whether 
our old friend Robinson Crusoe himself fared better 
than we.” 

^ ^ It is a fine place indeed, ’ ’ Harold replied ; ^ ‘ and 
so long as our powder and shot last, we might live 
like princes. But, Robert,” he continued, it is 
time that we begin to determine our plan of opera- 
tions. What shall we do*? ” 

Do! ” echoed Robert, why, return home as 
soon as possible. What else have we to do? ” 

3 


84 


THE YOUNG MAROON EKS 


^ ^ To detennine how we are to return and in what 
direction. Where do yon suppose we are? ’’ said 
Harold. 

On the coast of Florida, to the south of Tampa. 
It seems to me there is no other place where we can 
he.’’ 

But how do you know wei are not on some 
island? ” 

We may be on an island; but if so, it is still 
on the Florida coast,” Robert replied, for there 
are no islands besides the coast islands nearer than 
the West Indies; and we are surely not on any of 
them. ’ ’ 

Harold shook his head. ‘‘ I cannot answer your 
reasoning, for you are a better scholar than I. We 
may be where you suppose; but my impression is, 
that neither of us knows well enough where we are 
to warrant our going far from land. A voyage in an 
open boat at sea is no trifle. I am afraid of it. Put 
me on land, and I will promise to do as much as 
any other boy of my age ; but put me on the sea, out 
of sight of land, and I am a coward, because I know 
neither where I am, nor what to do. ’ ’ 

But what shall we do? ” Robert inquired. We 
cannot stay here forever.” 

‘‘No; but we can remain here, or somewhere else 
near by, until we better understand our case,” an- 
swered Harold. ‘ ‘ And who knows but in the mean- 
time some vessel may pass and take us home ? One 
passed yesterday. ’ ’ 

Robert mused awhile, and replied, ‘ ‘ I believe you 


THE YOUKG MAliOONERS 


35 


are right. Father will certainly set all hands to work 
to search for us. The vessel we saw yesterday will 
no doubt carry to him the news of their seeing ns 
I going in a certain direction at a certain time. He 
will be sure to search for us somewhere in this 
neighborhood; and we had better on that account 
' not move far away.^’ 

; Mary and Frank were attentive, though silent 
' listeners to this colloquy. Mary^s color went and 
came with every variation in their prospect of an 
i immediate return. She was anxious, principally, 
on her father’s account. Her affectionate heart 
mourned over the distress which she knew he must 
then be feeling; but when she came to reflect on the 
uncertainty of their position, and the danger of a 
voyage, and also that her father had probably ere 
this heard of them through the cutter, she was satis- 
fied to remain. Poor Franl^ cried bitterly, when he 
first learned that they were not to return immedi- 
ately; but his cheerful nature soon rebounded, and 
a few words of comfort and hope were sufficient to 
make him picture to himself a beautiful vessel, with 
his father on board, sailing into their quiet river, 
and taking them all home. 

Before we conclude to remain here,” said 
Harold, ‘ ‘ I think it will be best for us to sail round 
the island, if it is one, and see what sort of a place 
it is.” 

This suggestion was so wise that it received im- 
mediate assent. They fixed upon the next morning 
as the time for their departure; and not knowing 


80 


THE YOUXG MAKOONERS 


Ilow far they might go, or how long they might stay, 
they concluded to take with them all that they had. 

But,^^ inquired Mary, what shall we do with 
our large fat turkey! ( a part of it only having 
been prepared for the table). ‘‘ Shall we cook it 
liere, or carry it raw! 

Let us cook it here,” said Harold; ‘‘ I will show 
you how to bake it, Indian fashion, without an oven.” 

Among the articles put up by AYilliam were a 
sx:>ade and a hoe. With these Harold dug a hole 
in the dr^^est i^art of the beach; and, at his request, 
Robert took Mary and Frank to the tree above, and 
brought down a supply of small wood. The hole 
was two and a half feet deep and long, and one 
foot and a half wide. The wood wh\s cut quite 
short, and the whole was hea^wl full; and the pile 
being set on tire, Harold said, 

‘ ‘ There is another little piece of work to be done, 
which did not occur to me until I was digging that 
hole. It is to set up a signal on the beach to attract 
attention from sea.” 

‘‘ I wonder we did not think of that before,” re- 
marked Robert. 

The hoys went to the grove, and, cutting a long 
straight pole, brought it to the tent, and made fast 
to it the sheet which before had served them as a 
signal; after which the company went together to 
the seashore, and planted the signal under the bluff, 
so that it could be distinctly seen from sea, but would 
be liidden from the land. This place was selected 
for the same reason that induced Harold to build 


THE YOUNd- MAiiOONEKS 


liis fire under the bluff— to avoid the observation of 
hostile Indians. 

The fire in the oven had by this time burnt down, 
but by reason of the dampness of the earth the hole 
was not hot enough. Another supply of wood was 
put in, and while it was burning, our young ma- 
rooners went to the oyster bank to get some more 
oysters, then to the spring for water, and to the 
tree for wood. 

A sufficient heat having been produced by the 
second fire, Harold requested Eobert to clear the 
hole of all ashes, smoking brands and unbumt bits of 
wood, while he went once more to the grove. He 
returned with a clean white stick, about a yard long, 
which he used as a spit for the turkey, resting the 
two ends in holes made at each end of the oven. 

He then led the way up the bluff, hatchet in hand, 
and loaded all the party with small poles and 
palmetto leaves. The poles were laid across the 
oven, and the palmetto leaves spread thickly above 
the poles. This cover,’' said Harold, is put on 
to keep the heat in. ’ ’ 

Buried almost hermetically in its heated cell, the 
turkey was left to its fate for the night. In the 
morning, when Harold opened the oven, the turkey 
was baked brown as a nut. It supplied the party 
with a savory breakfast. 

After breakfast the first work to be done was pack- 
ing the boat. While this went on Harold, at the sug- 
gestion of Eobert, took Frank, and made a short tour 
through the surrounding forest, for the purpose of 


38 


THE YOUNG MAEOONEKS 


obtaining a breakfast for the dogs. The bark of the 
dogs and the crack of a rifle soon announced that the 
Imnters had been successful, and in less than half an 
hour they returned each with a rabbit, as we Ameri- 
cans call the hare. ‘ ^ See here, brother Robert ! See 
here, sister Mary! ’’ was the merry chatter of Frank, 
the moment he came near. I caught this myself. 
Fidelle ran it into a hollow tree— he is a fine rabbit 
dog. Mum is good for nothing; he will not run rab- 
bits at all, but just stood and looked at us while 
Fidelle ran after it. Cousin Harold would not let me 
smoke out the rabbit, but showed me how to get it 
with a switch. Isn’t it a nice fellow? ” 

It is indeed,” replied Robert. 

The packing completed, they pushed from shore, 
raised their sails to a favorable breeze, and moved 
gayly up the river. 

For a mile and a half the water over which they 
sailed, lay in a straight reach, due east and west, then { 
turned rapidly round to the north, where its course ? 
could be traced for many a mile by the breaks among | 
the mangroves. Just where the river made its turn 
to the north, a small creek opened into it from the 
south. 

As the object of the voyagers was to explore the 
land, they turned into this creek, which seemed to 
form the eastern boundary of the island. They ob- 
served that the vegetation, which was very scant near 
the sea, increased rapidly in variety and luxuriance 
as they proceeded inland. Tall palmettoes, pines, 
hickories, oaks, tulip trees, magnolias, gums, bays. 


THE YOUNG MAROONERS 


39 


and cypresses, reared aloft their gigantic forms, their 
bases being concealed by myrtles, scarlet berried cas- 
cenas, dwarf palmettoes, gall-berries, and other 
bnshes, intermingled with bowers of yellow jessa- 
mine, grapevine, and chainy brier; while a rich 
grass, dotted with variously colored flowers, spread 
like a gorgeous carpet beneath the magnificent 
canopy. 

For five miles they followed the meandering creek, 
now rowing, now sailing, until at last it turned sud- 
denly to the east, and dividing into a multitude of 
small, innavigable branches, became lost in the 
marshes beyond. Fortunately, however, for the ex- 
plorers, the channel terminated at an excellent land- 
ing-place, which was made firm by sand and shells. 
Here, securing their boat to a projecting root, they 
w^ent ashore to examine the country. To their sur- 
jDrise they had not proceeded twenty paces before 
discovering that this piece of land was only a narrow 
tongue, not half a furlong wide, and that beyond it 
was a river in all respects like the one they had left, 
coming also close to the opposite bank, and making a 
good landing on that side. 

0 for strength to lift our boat over this port- 
age! exclaimed Robert. The river, no doubt, 
sweeps far around, and comes back to this point, 
making this an island. ’ ^ 

We can settle that question to-morrow, said 
Harold. ‘ ^ It is too late to attempt it now. ’ ^ 

0, brother, cried Mary, there is an orange 
tree— look! look!— full of ripe oranges.’^ 


40 


THP] YOLTNG MAKOONERS 


It was a beautiful tree, which stood in a fine 
cluster of seven, arranged in a kind of grove, and 
loaded with fruit, in that state of half ripeness in 
which the dark green of the rind shows in striking 
contrast with the rich color called orange. The 
young people plucked several of the ripest oranges, 
and began to eat. But in an instant each made an 
exceedingly wry face, and dashed the fruit away. | 
The oranges were of the kind called bitter 
sweet, having the bitter rind and membranes of 
the sour, with the pleasant juice of the sweet. 

Open the sections, and eat them as you do those 
of the shaddock, without touching the skin to your ■ 
lips,’’ said Robert. There is nothing bitter in the 
juice. I recollect now that this kind of orange is 
said to grow plentifully in many parts of South 
Florida, and also that the lime is likely to be found in 
its company. This is another proof, Harold, that 
I am right as to our whereabouts. 

Really,” said Harold, this is a splendid conn- ^ 
try. I have another fact about it that you will be 
glad to learn. There are plenty of deer here. I saw 
signs of them all through the woods this morning 
within a quarter of a mile of the tent.” 

They gathered about a bushel of the ripest 
oranges, and deposited them in the boat ; then, begin- 
ning to feel hungry, they seated themselves on a 
green mound of velvety moss at the foot of a spread- 
ing magnolia, and there dined. 

Not long after dinner they returned to their old i 
encampment; but instead of pitching their tent on 



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THE YOUNG MAROONERS 


41 


tlie beach, they set it up on the bluff near the spring 
and under the branches of a mossy live oak. 


CHAPTER VI 

THE LIVE OAK — UNLOADING — FISHING EXCURSION — 

Harold’s still hunt — curing venison— maroon- 
ing COOKERY — THE VEGETABLE GARDEN — PLANS 
FOR RETURN. 

Next morning it was manifest that, with, out a 
change in the wind, the excursion proposed for that 
day would be impossible; a strong breeze was blowing 
directly from the east, and brought a ceaseless suc- 
cession of mimic billows down the river. Hoping, 
however, that the wind might change or moderate, 
they resolved to employ the interval in transferring 
all their articles of value from the boat to their new 
home under the oak. And it was indeed fortunate, 
as they afterwards had occasion to know, that they 
attended to this duty so soon. 

The live oak, under which their tent was pitched, 
was a magnificent tree. Its trunk was partially de- 
cayed from age, and the signs of similar decay in 
many of the larger limbs was lio doubt the cause of 
its being spared in the universal search along this 
coast for ship timber; but it was so large, that the 
four youngsters by joining hands could barely reach 
round it. Ten feet above the root it divided into 
three massive branches, which in turn were sub- 
divided into long pendant boughs, extending about 


42 


THE YOUNG MAROONERS 


sixty feet in every direction, and showing, at their 
ends, a strong disposition to sweep the ground. The 
height of the tree did not correspond to its breadth. 
It is characteristic of the live oak that, after attain- 
ing the moderate height of forty or fifty feet, its 
growth is directed laterally; the older trees often 
covering an area having a diameter of more than 
double their height. Every limb was hung so plenti- 
fully with long gray moss, as to give it a strikingly 
venerable and patriarchal aspect, and Harold de- 
clared he could scarcely look at it without a disposi- 
tion to take off his hat. 

At noon Harold proposed to Eobert that, the wind 
having erased, they should spend the afternoon 
either in hunting or fishing. ‘ ‘ If, ^ ’ said he, ^ ‘ Mary 
and Frank will allow us to leave them, I propose the 
first; if not, I propose the last, in which all can join.’’ 

0 let us go together, by all means,” said Mary. 

‘ ‘ I do not like to be left alone in this far-off place ; 
something may happen. ’ ’ 

Then let it be fishing,” said Harold; but what 
shall we use for bait? ” 

Nothing would be better than minnows,” replied 
Eobert. I observed yesterday a multitude in a 
nook of the creek near the river. We can catch some 
with our scoop net. At any rate we can take what is 
left of the rabbits, and fish for crabs. ’ ’ 

On ascending the river in their boat, they found 
that the minnows had disappeared, and they did not 
catch more than half a dozen. ! 

'' Tills is a dull prospect,” said Harold, whose - 


THE YOUNG MAROONERS 


43 


active nature made liim impatient of fishing as an 
amusement, unless tlie success was unusually good. 

If you will allow me to go ashore, I will try my 
luck with the gun.’^ 

Certainly, certainlj^, ’ ^ was the reply; though 
Eobert added, you must remember that this is a 
wild country, Harold, and that we had better keep 
within hearing, at least of each other’s guns.” 

Harold promised not to wander beyond the ap- 
pointed limit; and each agreed that if help were 
needed, two guns should be fired in quick succession. 

Will you not take my double barrels ” said Kob- 
ert. It is loaded with duck and squirrel shot, but 
you can easily draw the charges and load for deer. ’ ’ 

I thank you, no,” replied Harold. ‘‘It is so 
long since I have handled anything but a rifle, that 
a smooth bore would now be awkward. ’ ’ 

They put him ashore, then dropped anchor, and 
began to fish. Mary and Frank had been long initi- 
ated into the mysteries of the art. On the present 
occasion, Robert reserved to himself the minnows, and 
set them to the easier task of fishing for crabs. For 
security he tied the lines to the thole-pins. Crabs, 
as all upon the seaboard well know, are not caught 
with hooks, but with bait either hooked or tied to a 
line, and with a spoon-shaped net. The crab takes 
hold of the bait with its claws, and is drawn to the 
surface, when the net is carefully introduced below. 
Robert inserted his own hook through the back of 
a live minnow, and threw it into the water as a bait 
for trout. Soon Mary was seen drawing up her line. 


44 


THE YOUNG MAKOONERS 


wliicli she said had something very heavy upon it. 

^ ^ There is a crab on it, ^ ’ she cried, as the end of the 
line approached the surface; two crabs! two! two! ’’ 
Robert was near her. He inserted the net below, and 
the two captives were soon in the boat. Well 
done for you. Miss Mary; you have beaten us all ! 

Here Frank called out suddenly, ‘ ‘ I have one too ! 
0, how heavy he is! Brother, come; he is pulling my 
line away! 

It was not a crab. Robert and he pulled together, 
and after considerable play, they found that it was 
an enormous catfish or bullhead. 

This fellow will make a capital stew for to- 
morrow’s dinner,” said Robert. ‘‘ But hold to your 
line, Frank, while I put the net under him. I am 
afraid of those terrible side fins. ’ ’ 

The fish had scarcely been raised over the gunwale 
of the boat, with the remark, that is a bouncer! ” 
when Robert noticed his own line fizzing through the 
water at a rapid rate. He quickly loosed it from the 
place where it was tied, and paid out yard after 
yard as the vigorous fish darted away; then humor- 
ing its motion by giving or taking the line as seemed 
to be necessary, he at last drew the fish towards him, 
and took it aboard. It was a trout, the largest he had 
ever caught, or indeed ever seen. It was as long as 
his arm. 

He loosed the hook from the floundering fish, . 
and tried for more. But they now seemed slow to 
bite. He took only two others, and they were small. 
Mary, however, caught nine crabs, and Frank two. 


THE YOUNG MAROONERS 


45 


Suddenly they heard afar off the sharp crack of a 
rifle. 

'' There goes Harold's rifle! " said Robert; '' and 
1 warrant something has seen its last of the sun. 
Let us pull up our lines, and meet him at the tent." 

The anchor was weighed, the sail spread, and in 
the course of half an hour they saw Harold at the 
landing. 

What have you brought? " they all asked. 

0 nothing— nothing at all," he replied, looking 
at the same time much pleased. 

Nothing! " responded Robert. Why we paid 
you the compliment of saying, ^ There goes Harold's 
rifle ! and you may be sure he has killed something. ' ' ' 

If you have not anything, we liamr boasted 
! Frank. See what a big fish I caught! Isn't it 
a bouncer? Why, he nearly pulled me into the water; 
but I pulled and pulled, and brother Robert came 
to help me, and we both pulled, and got him in. See, 
too, what brother Robert caught— a big trout; and 
sister Mary caught nine crabs. I caught two crabs 
I myself. And you haven't anything! Why, cousin 
! Harold, are you not ashamed of yourself? " 

But you have killed something; I see it in your 
looks," said Mary, scrutinizing his countenance; 
what is it? " 

That is another question," replied Harold. 
You all asked me at first what I had brought. Now, 
I have brought nothing; but I have to bring a deer." 

Then, indeed, you have beaten us," said Robert; 
but that is only what I expected." 


46 


THE YOUNG MAROONEKS 


'' A deer! exclaimed the two younger. '' 0 take 
us to see it ! ’ ’ 

Mooring the boat safely, they set off with Harold. 
The spot where he had killed the deer was about 
half a mile distant. There lay a large fat buck, with 
branching horns and sleek brown sides. 

^ ^ 0 cousin Harold, ’ ’ cried Mary, ^ ‘ what a terrible 
gash your bullet has made in the poor thing’s throat! 
Just look there! ” 

Harold laughed. That was not made by my 
ball, but by my knife. Hunters always bleed their 
game, cousin, or it will not look so white, taste so 
sweet, or keep so well. ’ ’ 

The boys prepared to carry the carcass home. 
Harold cut a long stout pole with the hatchet, and 
Eobert brought some leaves of the silk grass (the 
yucca filamentosa, whose long narrow leaves are 
strong as cords), with which the legs of the deer were 
tied together. Swinging it on the pole between them, 
they marched homewards. 

By this afternoon’s excursion they were provided 
with a supply of fish, crabs, and venison. Mary and 
Frank brought up the trout, and set about preparing 
them for supper. They laid each upon a flat root of 
the tree, and with a knife scraped off the scales. 

In the meantime the fire had been mended, and 
water poured into their largest pot. When it began 
to boil, Mary and Frank dropped in the crabs. Poor 
creatures! it was a warm reception they met with 
from their native element. Each one gave a kick at 
the unwelcome sensation, and then sunk into quiet 


THE YOUHQ MAROONERS 


47 


j repose, at the bottom of its iron sepnlchre. They re- 
I inained boiling until their shells were perfectly red, 

, when they were taken out, and piled in a dish for 
I supper. 

When Mary and Frank rose next morning, they 
j saw the small boughs of the oak hung with i^ortions 
I of venison. The hoys had so placed them late at 
night, for the double purpose of allowing them to 
cool and of keeping them out of reach of the dogs. 
^ ^ Come, Frank, ’ ^ said Mary, ^ ^ let us make up the fire, 
' and get things ready for breakfast. ’ ’ The wood was 
close at hand, ready cut. Several sticks of lightwood 
j were placed underneath, and a bright blaze soon rose 
I before them. 

I Breakfast over, the first business of the day was to 
I take care of their venison. Yet what should they do 
I with it ? They had no cool place in which to keep it 
fresh, nor salting tub nor barrel in which to com 
or pickle what they could not at once consume. 
Harold ^s proposal was that they should cut the 
hams into thin slices, and jerk them in the smoke, as 
he had seen Torgah do ; or else dry them in the sun, 
which in the middle of the day was quite hot. Eobert 
said he had heard or read of meat being saved fresh 
for several days by burying it under cool running 
water, and offered to try this at their spring. Mary 
said she liked both plans, but having had such 
pleasant experience of Harold’s baked turkey, she 
hoped he would now give them a specimen of baked 
venison. 

It was finally resolved that each plan should have 


48 


THE YOUNG MABOONERS 


a fair trial: that one ham should be sliced and jerked; 
another should be baked for the next day’s dinner, 
as the turkey had been; one shoulder should be 
cooked for that day’s consumption, and the other 
put under the drip of the spring to prove whether 
it would keep until Monday. 

There is one advantage, at least, that we shall 
gain from these experiments,” said Harold; a 
knowledge how best to keep our meat. ’ ’ 

For a minute or two Mary had been evidently 
pondering upon some difficult problem; and Eobert, 
observing her abstraction, asked in a jesting tone 
if she was studying anatomy. 

Not exactly,” she replied; I was thinking of 
two things; how to cook this shoulder, when we have 

nothing in which to bake or roast it ” 

‘^0, as for that,” Harold interjected, I will 
provide you in ten minutes ’ time with a roaster wide 
enough for an ox, or small enough for a sparrow. Do 
you just hang the shoulder by a string from the pole 
which I will set for you above the fire. It will roast 
nicely, only you will lose all your gravy. ’ ’ 

The gypsies’ roasting-pole ! ” said she; ‘‘ I won- 
der I did not think of it. The other thing is, that 
after you have sliced the steak-pieces from the bone, 
the remainder would make an excellent soup, if we 
had some vegtables to put with it.” 

And what do you want? ” Eobert inquired. 

Into beef soup,” she replied, cooks usually put 
turnips, onions, cabbage, potatoes, carrots, and the 
like.” 


THE YOUNG MAKOONEUS 


49 


I Carrots and potatoes I fear we must do with- 
out this time/’ said he, but the rest I think I 
I can furnish, or something very like them. ’ ’ 

What! have you a vegetable garden already 
, growing on the island? ” asked Harold. 

! Yes,” he answered, a very large and tine one; 

I an endless supply of the most beautiful white cab- 
' bage, and most delicate asparagus, besides quantities 
of spinach, okra, and other vegetables. The 
• palmetto gives the first, the tender shoots of the 
bamboo-brier the second; the leaves of the poke, 
when young, furnish the third, and those of the wild 
j violet the last, for its mucilaginous leaf is no poor 
1 substitute for the okra. Besides these plants (all of 
^ which, except the last, need to be boiled in several 
waters to free them from their bitter taste), there are 
multitudes more growing around us that are per- 
fectly wholesome as articles of food— the purslain, 
i the thistle, the dandelion, the lambsquarter, the 
cresses and peppergrasses, to say nothing of the pink- 
gilled mushrooms, and the fungus that grows from 
logs of hickory. ’ ’ 

I will ask no more questions about your gar- 
den,” said Harold. I will confess at once that it 
is one of the largest and finest in the world; but 
will say, too, that it requires a person of your knowl- 
edge to use it aright.” 

^ ‘ And no great knowledge after all, ’ ’ responded 
Eobert. I could teach you in half an hour to rec- 
ognize every one of the plants I have named.” 

That afternoon they engaged in another discus- 
4 


50 


TIIK YOUNG MAROON EHS 


sion about attempting to return borne. Robert and 
Mary bad become impatient of their stay, and were 
despairing of any one’s coming soon to their relief. 
The three and a half days of separation from tJieir 
father seemed to them a month. 

Why not make the effort to return at once? ” 
they contended. This place is very good indeed; on 
some accounts we could not desire a better; yet it is 
not home. ’ ’ 

Harold shook his head, and replied, I am not 
sure, notwithstanding all your arguments, that any 
of us knows where home is. One thing I do know, that 
this island seems to be a very safe and comfortable 
place for people in our condition. Moreover, I am, 
confident that your father will use every means for 
finding us; and we can scarcely be ih a better place 
than this for being found. My opinion still is that , 
we had better continue here for a fortnight or three 
weeks in safety, rather than run the. risk we should, i 
by starting in an open boat, to go upon the broad sea, ^ 
we know not where. ’ ’ i 

Harold, however, was overruled. Mary and Frank 
united with Robert in resolving to attempt their re- 
turn homewards by sailing close to the coast. 

But when should they begin their voyage? Not 
that day, for they were not ready. Not the next, 
for that was the Sabbath, which they had been 
taught to reverence. Not Monday moniing, because 
there were preparations to be made, which they could 
not complete without working on the Sabbath. They 
resolved to “ remember the Sabbath day to keep it 


THE YOUNG MAROONERS 


51 


lioly,’^ by rest from labor, and by appropriate ex- 
ercises, and then to start as soon after as possible; 
which, probably, could not be before Monday evening 
or Tuesday morning. 

They prepared another oven, heated and protected 
as before, into which the ham of venison was intro- 
duced. They collected and cut a supply of wood tO' 
be used in case of cool weather the following day, 
and brought from the bank another basketful of 
oysters. After spending a pleasant evening in con- 
versation, they retired to rest. 


CHAPTER VII 

A STORM — LOSS OF THE BOAT — SAGACITY OF DOGS — 
SEARCH FOR THE BOAT — EXCITING ADVENTURE — 
UNEXPECTED NEWS. 

The following day was spent as proposed. Toward 
night the older boys, observing that the sky gave 
indications of a sudden change of weather, went to 
the landing, and made their boat as secure as pos- 
sible. 

It was well that they did so. The wind soon began 
to sigh in the branches of the huge oak above them. 
They could hear the roar of the distant surf, bursting 
angrily over the sandy barrier, and thundering on 
the shore. It was the beginning of a hurricane. The 
boys hastily seized the ax and hatchet, and drove the 
tent-pins deeply into the ground. While they were 


52 


TUE YOUNG MAROON Elis 


thus engaged, Nanny and her kids came up, and 
showed a strong disposition to take refuge in the 
tent. The dogs also gave signs of uneasiness, follow- 
ing the boys around with drooping tails, whining and 
shivering, as they looked with half-shut, winking 
eyes in the direction of the wind. These signs of 
terror in their dumb companions only made the boys 
work faster, and do their work more securely. They 
did not content themselves with driving down the 
tent-pins; they took the logs cut for firewood, and 
laid them on the windward edges of the tent, to pre- 
vent the wind from entering below and blowing the 
canvas from above their heads. Had they had time, 
they would have laid the sails of their boat, which 
they had hastily unrigged, above the canvas of the 
tent; but ere they could accomplish this, the wind 
burst upon them with the fury of a tornado. The 
grand old tree quivered to its roots, and groaned in 
every Ihnb. The tent fluttered and tugged at the 
ropes with such force that the deeply driven pins 
could scarcely hold it down. It was fortunate that 
it had been pitched under the oak, for the long lower 
branches, which at ordinary times almost swept the 
ground, were strained downwards so far, that with 
their loads of moss they formed a capital barrier 
against the wind. 

There was little sleeping for the boys that night. 
Scarcely liad they entered the tent before the rain 
began. It came in heavy drifts, and was carried with 
such forccv that, notwithstanding the protection af- 
fordvHl by the oak, it insinuated itself through the 


THE YOUNG MAKOONEKS 


53 


close threads of the canvas, and under the edges of 
the tent. They rolled up their bedding and clothes, 
and protected as best they could whatever seemed 
most in danger from the wet. They sat on boxes and 
trunks, and wrapped themselves in cloaks and 
blankets; but it was in vain; they could not guard 
themselves at the same time from the rain above and 
the driven water from below. They sat cold and 
shivering until three o’clock in the morning, when 
the rain ceased and the wind abated. Then they 
made a fire; and just before day were enabled, by 
lying on trunks and boxes, to indulge themselves in 
a short uneasy sleep. 

The clear sun shone over the mainland before the 
wearied company awoke. Harold was the first on 
his feet, and calling to Robert, hastened out with him 
to see what damage had been done. Mary also joined 
them, followed by Frank; for having dressed them- 
selves during the night, they had no further toilet to 
make. 

In every direction were to be seen traces of the 
storm. The ground was strewn with prostrate trees, 
broken branches and twigs, and the thickets and 
vines were loaded with moss torn from the taller 
trees. The sea roared terribly, and thick dirty bil- 
lows came rolling up the river. 

Harold was about to mend the fire for Mary, who 
said she wanted to drink something hot, as the best 
means of warming herself, when Robert, glancing at 
the tremendous tide in the river, called to her 
quickly— Do not waste a drop of this water in 


THE YOUNG MAROONERS 


5i 

the bucket ; there is only a quart left, and no one can 
tell when the tide will be low enough for us to get 
more. ’ ’ He ran to the bluff, and the others saw him 
make a gesture of surprise, look hastily around, and 
finally leap down the bank. He was absent only two 
or three minutes, and then returned with a pale face 
and hurrying step. 

Harold,’’ said he, scarcely able to articulate-, 
^ ^ our boat is gone ! Broken from her moorings ! ’ ’ 

At this terrible announcement there was a general 
rush for the landing. It was even so. The boat was 
nowhere to be seen. The stake which had held it 
had also disappeared. Far as the eye could reach 
in the direction of the opposite bank nothing was 
visible but water— water, with here and there a patch 
of mangrove, higher than the rest, bowing reluct- 
antly to the rush of the waves. They looked anx- 
iously over the watery waste, and then into each 
other’s agitated faces. It was clear that their pros- 
pect of speedily returning home was hopeless. 

But perhaps,” said Mary, who was the first to 
recover speech, ‘ ^ the boat may have only drifted up 
the river; or it may have sunk at the landing.” 

Eobert mournfully said, Well, we can look for 
it.” 

Harold for a moment seemed lost in thought. 
Then he slowly answered, Yes, we can; but it is my 
opinion that we shall not find it.” 

They conversed awhile upon the bluff, in view of 
the dismal waters, and then slowly turned towards 
the tent. 


THE YOUNG MAKOONEKS 55 

When they sat down to breakfast gloom rested on 
the whole party. They endeavored to appear cheer- 
ful, but little was said, and little was eaten. Harold’s 
face was towards the marsh. 

Robert,” he said, it is possible after all that 
we may find our boat. If not sunk at the landing, it 
is certainly somewhere up the river. If it has lodged 
in the marsh, we can best see it while the water is 
high, and if it has not lodged, it may float back with 
the tide. Suppose we set off at once to search.” 

The boys promised to return by mid-day, unless 
delayed by finding the boat; and taking their guns 
and hatchet, together with a luncheon in case of de- 
lay, they set out, accompanied by Mum. Ere pro- 
ceeding more than a few steps, however, Robert 
stopped to say, ^ ‘ Harold, we shall not need the dogs. 
Let us leave them for protectors to Mary and Frank. 
True, there is no danger; but they will feel safer for 
having them at hand. Frank, bring me Mum ’s chain. 
Here Mum! Here Mum! ” 

Mum came rather reluctantly; for, dog though he 
was, he appeared to understand what was said. Mary 
observing this, exclaimed, ‘ ‘ Cousin, I do believe that 
Mum understands what brother says. Only see how 
disappointed he looks! ” 

0 yes,” returned Harold; dogs understand 
more than most people imagine. He probably heard 
Robert use the word ‘ chain;’ and he has heard it 
often enough to know what it means. But dogs 
gather more from the eye and tone than from words. 
Mum, poor fellow, I am sorry to leave you behind; 


56 


THE YOUNG MAliOONEKS 


for I know you like hunting better than staying at 
home. But you know nothing of hunting boats, 
Mum; so we want you to stay and help Fidelle to 
guard your young mistress and master against the 
squirrels and opossums. If any of them come you 
must bite them well ; do you hear, Mum ? ^ ^ 

Tlie poor dog wagged his short tail mournfully, as 
much as to say he would do his best ; hut at the same 
time cast a wishful look at the guns. With a charge 
to Mary not to let Mum loose without necessity, and 
to Frank not to approach the bluff, except in the com- 
pany of his sister, the boys were once more on the 
move, when Mary inquired, But what shall we do, 
if we see the boat coming down the river, or if we 
need you for any other reason? 

' ‘ True, true, ’ ' said Kobert ; ‘ ‘ I am glad you sug- 
gested it. We will load William’s gun for you, and 
you must fire it for your signal. We shall probably 
be within hearing. ’ ’ 

Robert well knew that Mary was able to do what 
he proposed, for her father had made it a part of his 
duty to instiTict her, or cause her to be instructed, in 
every art necessary to preserve and enjoy life. For 
this purpose she had learned how to load and use 
firearms— to manage a horse in harness and under 
the saddle— and to swim. Compared with most other 
girls she was qualified to be quite a heroine. 

With many good wishes the boys finally set off. 
They struck directly through the woods for their old 
fishing point, at the junction of the creek with the 
river. Standing on the most commanding part of the 


THE YOUNG MAROONEKS 


67 


bluff, they looked in every direction, but no sign 
of the boat appeared. Then they turned their steps 
to the southeast, following, as closely as they could, 
the bank of the creek, though compelled often to 
make large circuits in order to avoid the creeks and 
bay-galls that set in from the marsh. These bay- 
galls are wet spongy bottoms, shaded with loblolly 
bays, and tangled with briers, and the edges are 
usually fringed with the gall-berry bush— a shrub 
closely resembling that which bears the whortle- 
berr}^, and bearing a black fruit of the same size as 
the whortleberry, but nauseously bitter. Compelled 
to make great circuits round these miry bottoms, and 
interrupted by a close growth of vines and trees, 
the boys advanced scarcely a mile and a half to the 
hour. They left not a foot of the shore unexplored. 
Still no vestige of the boat appeared. 

About eleven o’clock they approached the tongue 
of land on which they had discovered the orange trees, 
and where they now proposed to quench their thirst 
with the pleasant acid of the fruit, intending after- 
wards to return to the tent. They had just headed 
a short bay-gall, and were enjoying the’tirst glimpses 
of the south river, when they were startled by a 
trampling in the bushes before them; and a herd of 
six deer rushed past and disappeared in the dark 
bottom. Soon after a half-grown fawn, white as 
milk, and bleating piteously, was seen staggering 
through the bushes, having a large wildcat seated 
upon its shoulders, and tearing furiously at its neck. 
Robert’s gun had been leveled when the herd ap- 


68 


THE YOUNG MAROONERS 


peared, but they passed too quickly for a shot. He 
was therefore all ready when the fawn approached, 
and aiming not at it, but at the fierce creature upon its 
back, he fired. Both animals rolled together upon the 
ground. Eobert would have rushed immediately 
upon them, had he not been restrained by the grasp 
of Harold. 

Not yet! said he, not yet! keep your other 
barrel ready. A wildcat is hard to kill, and will 
fight until he begins to gasp. 

It was fortunate for Robert that he was thus ar- 
rested, for the cat was only wounded, and soon re- 
covered sufficiently to limp away. Now give 
him your second barrel, Robert; give it to him 
in his shoulder.’^ Before he could do so, however, 
the cat slipped into the hollow of a neighboring 
tree. 

He is safe now,’^ said Harold; we can kill him 
at our leisure. But keep your eye on the hole, and be 
ready to shoot, while I attend to this fawn. ’ ’ 

When Harold took hold of the beautiful little 
creature, he discovered that the wounds made by the 
wildcat were only skin-deep, and could easily be 
healed. 

Shall I bleed it for venison? ’’ asked Harold, 
or save it as a pet for Mary and Frank? ’’ 

'' 0 save it by all means,’' replied Robert, whose 
sympathies had been from the first excited by the 
piteous cries of the fawn. Save it for sister, and 
let us make haste to finish this beast. ’ ’ 

Then lend me your handkerchief,” said Harold; 


THE YOUNG MAROONERS 


59 


. ^ ^ mine alone is not sufficient for both collar and 
I cord.’’ 

! Eobert was approaching him for the purpose, when 
i he observed the cat creep slyly from its hole, and 
hobble away with all haste. ' ' Quick, Harold, ’ ’ cried 
Eobert, tossing him the handkerchief, tie the fawn, 
and follow me. ’ ’ He then dashed through the bushes 
in pursuit. 

Take care: you may get too near,’'’ Harold 
shouted ; but Eobert was already lost to sight behind 
the underwood. By the time the fawn was secured, 
Harold heard him hallooing about one hundred paces 
away; and going rapidly in the direction of the 
sound, saw him watching the convulsive throes of the 
wild creature as it lay gasping on the ground. 

Harold looked on and pleasantly remarked, You 
will soon get your name up for a hunter, if you keep 
on at this rate. That is a splendid cat ! Wliat claws 
and teeth! ” 

^ ^ I am glad he did not fasten those ugly things in 
my leg, ’ ’ said Eobert ; ^ ‘ but I was so excited by the 
pursuit, that I rushed at one time almost upon him. ’ ’ 
It would have been a desperate fight, if he had 
seized you,” remarked Harold; ‘‘ you would have 
borne the marks to the end of your life.” 

Eeturning to the fawn, which struggled violently 
on their approach, they soon succeeded in allaying 
its terror by gentle tones and kind treatment. It 
yielded passively to its fate, and consented to be led 
wherever they chose. 

The oranges were delicious after their long walk. 


60 


THE YOUNG MAKOONERS 


A few minutes served to rest their weary limbs, and 
they had just begun to talk of returning to the tent, 
when the fawn gave signs of alarm; and ere they 
could spring to their feet. Mum came dashing up at 
full speed. 

The boys were afraid some accident had happened. 
Mum, however, showed no signs of anything wrong; 
he came up wagging his cropped tail, and looking ex- 
ceedingly pleased. Inspecting him, Harold observed 
a string tied round his neck, to which was fastened 
a little roll of paper. He hastily took it off, and read 
these lines in pencil: 

Come home quickly. I see some one across the 
river; he is waving a flag. Mary.’^ 


CHAPTER VIII 

EXAMINATION OF ARTICLES IN THE TENT — SMOKE 
SIGNAL— BRUTE MESSENGER — BLAZING THE TREES — 
RAFT — VOYAGE — DISASTROUS EXPEDITION — NEWS 
FROM HOME — RETURN TO THE TENT. 

When Robert and Harold left the tent that morn- 
ing, to look for the lost boat, Mary and Frank 
watched with anxious eyes their retreating forms. It 
was painful to be left alone in that vast solitude. In 
order, therefore, to withdraw their minds from their 
situation, Mary proposed to Frank to join her in ex- 
posing to the sun those articles in the tent which had 
been wet by the rain. 


THE YOUNG MAROONERS 


61 


Among these was a bundle of William’s. Poor 
William! ” said Prank, I wonder what became of 
him. Don’t you think, sister, he was drowned? ” 

I do not know, buddy,” she answered with a 
sigh; though I presume not. William was a good 
swimmer, and near shore. 0, I do wish we could 
hear from our dear father, and he could hear from 
us! See here, Frank.” She pointed to a dressing- 
case. This is father’s; it contains his razors, and 
all the little things that he uses every day. I wish 
I could open it, and air everything for him ; both top 
and bottom seem to be wet. ’ ’ 

She tried the various keys in her bunch, and to her 
delight found one that fitted the lock. Some of the 
contents of the case were quite damp, and no doubt 
they were saved from serious injury by her affec- 
tionate care. One of the things that she found was 
a morocco case, which proved quite useful in the end ; 
it was a case of medicines. Mary was careful not to 
disturb anything, except so far as was needful for its 
preservation; for, though her father had no conceal- 
ments that she knew of, the dressing-case was his 
private property, and she held its privacy sacred. 
After drying the articles in it, she replaced them as 
she had found them. ’ ’ 

This work had occupied Frank and her an hour, 
when Frank exclaimed, Sister, is not that smoke 
across the river? ” 

From the blutf where, three miles distant, the 
opposite bank of the river overhung the sea, a blu- 
ish smoke was curling upward. Mary gazed at it 


62 


THE YOUNG MAROONEKS 


with feelings botli of hope and distrust. Who made 
it? What did it mean! She ran for the spyglass, 
drew it to its focus, steadied her trembling hands 
against a tree, directed it towards the point, and 
almost instantly exclaimed, Some person is there. 
I can see a signal flying, like a handkerchief tied to 
a pole. But who can it be? If it is one of our people, 
why does he not come over? 0 Frank, how I wish 
brother and cousin Harold were here. ’ ’ 

Let us fire off the gun, sister, Ptank replied, 
^ ‘ that will bring them back. ’ ^ 

They took the gun, loaded by Eobert for the pur- 
pose, and fired it. Mary then took another peep 
through the glass, and cried out, He sees us, 
Frank, whoever it is ; he is waving his flag. He must 
have heard our gun, or seen the smoke. I wonder I 
cannot see Mm. 0, yes, there he is, lying on the 
ground, or half lying. Now he has put down the flag, 
and I can see him dragging himself along the ground 
by one arm. What can it mean ? 0 when will brother 
Eobert and cousin Harold come back! ” 

Mary’s impatience made the time seem very long. 
She employed herself in every way that she could 
devise for an hour, and then, turning to Frank with 
a bright look, clapped her hands joyfully, and said, 
I have it! I’ll bring them back!' I mean to send 
a runner after them. I can do it— 0 yes I can do 
it! ” 

Frank looked troubled. How can you? ” he in- 
quired. ‘ ^ lam the only one you have ; and I am sure 
I cannot find the way any more than you can. ’ ’ 


THE YOUNG MAROON EKS 


68 


“ No, not you, nor myself,’’ she said; ‘‘ but one 
that I know can find them, and can take a note to 
them too. ’ ’ She opened her trunk, took out a piece 
of paper, penciled upon it the note recorded in the 
last chapter, tied it tightly with a string, which she 
fastened round Mum’s neck, and said, Here is my 
messenger! He will find them, I waiTant.” Then 
loosening the chain, she said, Hie on Mum! hie 
on! ” 

Mum looked at her inquisitively and was evidently 
in doubt what to make of her command. She called 
him to the track of the boys, pointed to it, fol- 
lowed it for a few steps, and encouraged him to pro- 
ceed, when the intelligent brute took the meaning, 
and with a whine of joy sprang away at a rapid 
trot. 

The boys reached the tent about one o’clock, lead- 
ing the fawn by the two handkerchiefs. They had 
been strongly tempted more than once to leave it 
behind, tied to a bush, or to free it entirely, as it 
somewhat retarded their movements; but having 
learned the art of following, it now came after them 
with rapid strides, and for the latter half of their 
journey they had not to pull it at all. Mary and 
Frank heard their distant halloo, and ran to meet 
them. They were delighted with the new pet, and 
spent a moment in patting its snowy sides; but the 
interest excited by the person across the river ab- 
sorbed every other consideration. As soon as Harold 
saw the smoke still faintly rising, he said, I saw 
that smoke this morning. It was so faint that T 


64 


THE YOUNG MAROONEKS 


could scarcely discern it, and took it for mist. That 
person has been there all night. ’ ’ 

Eohert had by this time adjusted the glass, and 
each looked in turn. They could see nothing more 
than a little smoke. Mary described the position in 
which she saw the person lying, and dragging him- 
self along, after the guns were fired. ^ ‘ Then, ’ ^ said 
Harold, I will let off another gun; and do you, | 
Eohert, place yourself so that you can see whether he | 
notices it.” 

Eohert laid himself flat on the sand, resting the 
glass upon a log of wood, that both he and it might be ^ 
steady, and said, Now fire!' ” About a quarter of a ^ 
minute after the discharge he exclaimed, ‘ ^ I see him ! ' 
He is lying upon the sand beneath the shade of a 
cedar. I see him move. He rests on one arm, as 
though he were sick or hurt. Now he drags himself 
as you describe, sister. There is his flag flying again. 
He uses only one arm. The other hangs down use- 
lessly by his side. Who can it be? I wish he was in 
the sunshine, for then I could see his complexion. 
But I am sure he is not a white man. ’ ’ 

‘‘0, it is Eiley! ” said Frank. I know it is 
Eiley come after us. Now we can go home again.” 

Harold took the glass and used it as Eohert had 
done. The person had by this time put down the 
flag, and was reclining languidly against some sup- 
port behind him. Harold saw him grasp his left arm 
with his right hand, move it gently, and lie back as 
before. ‘ ‘ That person is badly hurt, ’ ’ he remarked. 
Instead of helping us, he wants us to help him. It 



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From a Photograph. 


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THE YOUNH MAROON ERS 


G5 


must be some one who was cast away in the storm 
last night. Oh, for our boat! Kobert, we must go 
over and help him. We can make a raft. It is not 
three miles across. We have the oars and paddle 
of our boat, and we can surely make the distance 
and back this evening, by hard work. Let us see 
if there is not timber enough near at hand for a 
raft. ’ ’ 

They looked at a fallen tree not far distant, and 
wished it were only near the river bank. But/^ 
said Robert, the palmetto, which I felled for the 
cabbage, is about sixty feet long, straight as an 
arrow, and what is better, just at the river side. ’ ^ 

Off they went with ax, hatchet, and nails. Mary 
called after them to say, that if they would show her 
the way, she and Prank would follow them with 
something to eat. 

Do, cousin, if you please,’’ said Harold. I, 
for one, am hungry enough. We will blaze a path 
for you as we pass along. Do follow us soon. ’ ’ 

^ ^ Do you mean that you will chop the trees as you 
pass? ” 

‘‘ Yes, yes. We will chop them so as to show the 
white wood beneath the bark. That is called blazing. 
You cannot mistake your way.” 

The work of blazing the path scarcely detained 
them at all; an experienced woodsman can do it with 
a single blow of his ax as he moves, without stopping. 
Many of the trees were cut so as to show little more 
than the mark of the hatchet. Coming to the fallen 
palmetto, the boys cut it into four lengths, one 
5 


66 


THE VOUNd MAKOONEKS 


twenty, two seventeen, and two about ten feet long. 
It was easy work; the palmetto is a soft wood, and 
every blow of the ax, after going beneath the hard 
surface, made a deep cut. Then with the aid of 
levers, they rolled the logs to the water’s edge; they 
pinned them together, sharpened the bow for a cut- 
water, and fastened some cross pieces on top for 
seats, and as receptacles for the thoJ e-pins. 

While Harold and Eobert were thus engaged, 
Mary and Frank, guided hy the blazed trees, and at- 
tracted by the sound of the ax, came with a basketful 
of provisions, and setting it before them, Mary re- 
marked, ' ' I am sorry we have no water yet to offer 
you; but here are some of the oranges we brought the 
other day. ’ ’ 

It is almost incredible what a deal of work can be 
accomplished in a limited time, when a person works 
with real vigor and good will. The boys were them- 
selves astonished to find that shortly after three 
o’clock they were seated on their raft, rowing rapidly 
towards the landing near the tent, Mary and Frank 
being aboard. A glance at the spring showed that 
they could now supply themselves with water; and 
while Harold scooped out a basin, and dammed it 
against the occasional overflow of a wave, Eobert 
went with Mary and Frank to the tent, from which 
he brought down' the guns, a jug for water, the spy- 
glass, and the morocco medicine case, of which Maiy 
had told him, and which might be needed by the sick 
person. 

Once more Eobert and Harold embarked, leaving 


i 


THE YOUNG MAROONERS 


67 


the younger ones on the shore. Do not he 
alarmed,’’ said they, seeing the tears sta«*t into 
Marj^’s eyes at the prospect of another separation. 

Make a good fire on shore, and put your trust in 
God. We will try to return before dark ; and we hope 
to bring you good news from home. If the person 
yonder is a messenger from Tampa, we will let you 
know by firing two guns. Be sure to listen for them 
about five minutes after you see us land. The voy- 
agers waved adieu to the others, and were soon mov- 
ing through the water at the rate of more than two 
miles the hour. 

However earnest they were to relieve the person 
apparently in distress, the boys did not approach 
the opposite shore without caution. They knew 
themselves to be in the land of savages, who were 
exceedingly ingenious and patient in their schemes 
of violence. Each in turn took the glass, when re- 
lieved by the other in rowing, and directed it upon 
the point to which they were going. Approaching 
within a quarter of a mile of shore, they rested upon 
their oars, and deliberately surveyed both the person 
and the place. They could distinctly see him re- 
clining against the cedar, and beckoning with his 
right hand. 

Harold,” said Kobert, that is a negro, and I 
do believe it is Sam, the carpenter. 0 poor fellow! 
how badly hurt he appears to be. I wonder what can 
be the matter! ” 

They pulled along very fast, and when within a 
hundred yards of the shore stopped and looked 


C8 


THE YOUNG MAKOONEKS 


again. It is Sam/’ said Robert. “ All’s right! 
Let us push on now ! ’ ’ 

Running the raft ashore, and making it fast to 
their ax, sunk in the sand for a stake, they hurried 
up the bluff. There indeed lay Sam, badly hurt and 
unable to move. They ran to him, and were 
about to throw their arms around him, when he 
beckoned them off imploringly, and said, Stop! 
stop! for mercy sake don’t shake me hard. Huddu,* 
Mas Robbut ! Huddu, Mas Harrol ! Bless de Lord to 
see you once mo’e! ” the tears streaming down the 
poor fellow’s face. 

Dear old Sam! ” said the boys, we are so glad 
to see you. But what is the matter?. ” 

^^01 am kill ! ’ ’ he replied ; ^ ^ my arm and leg bote 
got broke las ’ night. You got any water? ’ ’ 

Plenty— plenty. We brought it for you,” and 
they both ran for the jug, but Harold was foremost, 
and Robert returned. 

Mas Robbut,” Sam asked, wey de chilun? ” 
^MYe left them at the tent yonder. They were 
the first to see you; and they fired the guns that you 
heard.” 

“ Bless dey young soul,” he said, '' I do lub ’em.” 

But how is father? ” 

Berry well— berry well— 0 Lord my leg!— ’cept 
he in mighty trouble ’bout you all. ’ ’ 

Here is the water, Sam,” said Harold retum- 
mg, let me hold the jug while you drink. How is 
uncle? ” 


How d’ye. 


THE YOU.NG MAROONEllS 


GO 


Sam told him. While they were conversing, Robert 
ran to the raft, brought from it his gun, went to the 
-most conspicuous part of the bluff, and waving first 
a white handkerchief, until he received an answering 
sigmal from Mary and Frank, fired the two barrels 
at the interval of several seconds. 

Please, Mossa, let me hab some mo’e water? ’’ 
Sam asked. Then taking a hearty draught, he said. 

Bless de Lord for dis nice cool water! It is so 
good! ” 

They inquired of him the nature and occasion of 
his accident. It was de boat las’ night— Riley’s 
boat,” said he. ‘‘ It kill him and cripple me. We 
come to look for you all. De win’ blow and de sea 
rise ; and me and Riley went to draw the boat higher 
on sho’, w’en a big wave lif’ de boat an^'' pitch it 
right into Riley’s breast. It kill him, I s ’pose— I 
nebber see him no mo ’e. W ’en I come to my senses, 
I bin lie right on de beach, wi ’ my arm and leg broke, 
and de water dashin’ ober me. I drag myself up here 
las’ night, by my well arm and leg; but if it hadn’t 
bin for de win’ I nebber bin get here at all— it lif’ 
me up like a fedder. ’ ’ 

^ ^ That is talking enough for this time, Sam, ’ ’ said 
Robert ; ‘ ‘ you are too sick and weak, and we have no 
time to spare. Let us carry you to our tent, and 
there you may talk as much as you will. Is there 
anything we can do for you before we move? ’ ’ 

Only to give me a little mo’e water.” He had 
already drunk a quart. He also pointed them to a 
certain spot, where they found Riley’s rifle and its 


70 


THE YOUNG MAKOONERS 


6c|iiipinGiits, togGtliGr witli hii hx Hiid sgvgihI gouids. 
These were transferred to the raft; and Harold then 
said, ‘ ‘ Come, Sam, tell ns how we can help yon. The 
snn is fast going down, and we have a long way to 
go. Mary and Frank don’t wish to be left in the 
dark, and are no donbt looking for ns to start. 

De childnn! Bless ’em! ” said Sam. I do 
want to see dey sweet face once mo’e. Bnt I ’fraid 
it will kill me to move. See how my arm and leg 
swell a ’ready.” 

After mnch demnrring, Sam consented to attempt 
the removal ; and thongh he groaned and shnddered 
at the thonght, it was effected with far less pain than 
he expected. They spread his blanket beside him, 
helped him into the middle of it, lapped and pinned 
its edges over a strong pole with splinters of cedar, 
and taking each an end of the pole, lifted him gently 
from the gronnd, and bore him at fnll length to the 
raft, where they had previonsly prepared a conch of 
moss. 

The snn sank into the waters ere they had gone 
half a mile; bnt the boys pnlled with a hearty good 
will, and moreover with the advantage of a little 
wind in their favor. It was dark when they landed, 
or rather, dark as it conld be with a bright moon 
nearly at the fnll. Eobert took occasion, while at the 
helm, to reload his two barrels with powder, and 
repeat the signal agreed npon. As the darkness 
deepened, they conld see afar off the fignres of Mary 
and Frank standing npon the beach, before a tire 
which they had made as a gnide to the voyagers, and 


THE YOlJNU MAHOONEUS 


71 


listening apparently to every thump of the oars. 
Long before words could be distinguished, Frank’s 
clear voice rung over the waters in a tone of inquii7\ 
The two boys united their voices at a high musical 
pitch, and sang out, Sam! Sam! ” repeating it at 
! intervals until they perceived from the tones of the 
[ children on shore that the name had been heard, 
j Presently Frank’s shrill voice shouted, How d’ye, 
Sami ” Poor Sam tried to answer, but his voice was 
too weak. Eobert and Harold answered for him. 
Mary would have called out too; but the tinitli was 
she was crying for joy, and was not able to utter a 
word. 


CHAPTER IX 

NIGHT LANDING— CAEEYING A WOUNDED PEESON — 
SPLINTEEING A LIMB. 

It was a picturesque scene as the raft drew near 
shore. The soft moonlight upon the bluff— the faint 
sparkle of the briny water ruffled by the oars— the 
lurid light from the resinous fire— the dark shadows 
and excited movements of Mary and Frank— formed 
altogether a group worthy of a painter’s skill. 

Frank could scarcely be restrained from rushing 
through the water to welcome the new comer; but 
when he heard how weak he was, and in what bad 
condition, he waited in quietness. Harold lifted 
the little fellow upon the raft, and Robert made a 
stepping place for Mary with the oars, and both 


n 


THE YUUN(t MAltOONERS 


the children shook hands with the poor fellow, 
and told him how sorry they were to see him so 
badly hurt. 

Leaving Harold and Frank at the raft, Robert 
and Uarj hastened to the tent to prepare a place 
for the invalid, that he need not be disturbed after 
being once removed. They lit a candle, piled the 
trunks in a comer of the room, and taking most of 
the inoss that constituted their beds, laid it in an- 
other comer, remarking, “ We can easily obtain 
more; or we can even sleep on the ground to-night, 
if necessary, so that poor Sam may be comfortable.’’ 

I wish we had an old door, or even a plank long 
enough for him to lie upon, as we bring him from 
the raft,” said Robert, ‘‘ it would be so much easier 
to his broken bones, if they could be kept straight. 1 
Bht the blanket is next best, and with that we must | 
be content.” ! 

By the time the transfer was completed, the boys 
were exceedingly weary, having been disturbed all 
the preceding night, and engaged in vigorous effort 
ever since they had risen from their short sleep. 
Robert, however, said, Sam, probably, is suffer- 
ing for want of having his bones set. We must see 
about that at once.” 

Set a broken ami and leg! ” exclaimed Harold i 
in surprise. Why, Robert, do you know how to i 
doit?” ‘ i 

'' Certainly,” he replied. There is no mystery : 
about it; and father, you know, teaches us children 
everjThing of the kind, as soon as we are able to 


THE YOUNG MAEOONEKS 


73 


leam it. I have never set the bones of a person, but 
I once set those of a dog, and succeeded very well. ’ ’ 
Harold asked him to describe the process. Rob- 
ert replied, If the bones appear to have moved 
from their proper place, all that you have to do is 
to pull them apart lengthways by main strength. 
Then they will either naturally slide together, or 
else can be made to do so by the pressure of your 
hand. Next you must bandage the limb with strips of 
cloth, beginning at the extremity, so as to keep the 
parts in place; and over the first bandage you must 
bind a splint, to keep the bone from being bent or 
jostled out of place. That is all. ^ ’ 

On examination, Robert found that the arm was 
broken between the elbow and shoulder, and that the 
leg was fractured between the knee and ankle. ^ ‘ The 
leg, ’ ’ said he, ‘ ^ is safe enough. Below the knee are 
two bones, and only one of these is broken. Would 
you like to have the bandage and splints put on your 
arm to-night? ’’ Sam replied that he was sure he 
should sleep better, if Mas Robert was not too tired 
to attend to it, for he would be ‘ ^ mighty onrestless ’ ’ 
while his bones were in that ‘ ‘ fix. ^ ^ 

The wearied boy pondered a moment, and asked 
his sister to tear one of the sheets or table-cloths 
into strips about as wide as her three fingers, and 
to sew the ends together, to make a bandage five 
or six yards long, while he and Harold prepared 
the splints. They then went to a palmetto thicket, 
half a mile distant, and, cutting one of the straightest 
of the young trees, returned with it to the tent, as soon 


74 


THE YOUNG MAROONERS 


as possible, and produced from it a lath about the 
length of the arm. Having bandaged the limb 
from the finger-ends to the shoulder, they bound 
it to this sjDlint, which extended from the armpit to 
the extremity, and Eobert pronounced the opera- 
tion complete. 

Sam was profuse in his praise of Eobert ’s surgery, 
bestowing upon it every conceivable term of lauda- 
tion, and seeming withal to be truly grateful. 

^ ‘ Tankee, Mas Eobert ! Tankee, Mas Harold ! Tankee 
my dear little missus! Tankee, Mas Frank too! Tan- 
kee, ebberybody ! I sure I bin die on dat sand-bank, 
’cept you all bin so kind to de poor nigger. ’ ’ 

No more of that, Sam,’’ said Eobert, you werej 
hurt in trying to help us; it is but right we should 
help you.” 

At the close of this scene, the young people pre- 
pared for bed. It was past ten o’clock, and they 
were sadly in need of rest; but so strongly had their 
sympathies been excited for their black friend, that 
even little Frank had kept wide awake, waiting his ; 
turn to be useful. When, however, their work was 
done, and they had lain down to rest, they needed no 
lullaby to hush them into slumber. Within twenty 
minutes after the light was extinguished, and during 
the livelong night, nothing was to be heard in that 
tent but the hard breathing of the wearied sleepers. 

Thank God for sleep! None but the weary know 
its blessedness. 


THE YOUNG MAROONERS 


75 


CHAPTER X 

SAM’s STORY" — DEPRESSION AFTER EXCITEMENT — 
GREAT MISFORTUNE. 

At about nine o^clock Sam awoke from a refresh- 
ing sleep, and the anxious company assembled at his 
side to hear what he had to tell about home. I 
a’nt got much to tell,’^ said Sam, I lef^ so soon 
a Ter you all, dat you know most all ^cept what 
happen to me and Riley on de way.’’ 

‘ ‘ Let us hear it all, ’ ’ said Robert. 

But before you begin,” interrupted Mary, do 
tell us about William. Was he drowned or not? ” 

(For the sake of readers who may not be familiar 
with the lingo of southern and seacoast negroes, the 
narrative will be given in somewhat better English, 
retaining, however, the peculiarities of thought and 
drapery.) 

O no. Missus,” he replied to Mary’s question. 
He only fell backward into the water, and was 
a little strangled. He rose directly, and gave the 
alarm. I suppose the reason that you did not hear 
him was that he was under the wharf, holding tight 
to a post, for fear some of the fish might come and 
take hold of him too. He came with me to Riley’s 
Island. ’ ’ 

Won’t you begin at the beginning,” said Robert, 
and tell us one thing after another, just as it hap- 
pened? If there is anything of which we wish to 
hear more particularly, we will stop you to inquire.” . 


76 


THE YOUNG MAKOONERS 


AVell,” said Sam, ‘‘ you know that when you left 
I was working on tlie house. I was putting in a 
window-sash, when your father came with a soldier j 
to the door, and said, ‘‘ Stay here, I will be out in a 
moment! He went into his room, came out with ■ 
something in his hand, and was speaking to the 
soldier, when we heard William’s voice, crying out, 

“ Help! help! ” as if he was half smothered. Your : 
father said, ‘‘ What can be the matter? ” He and 
the soldier ran toward the bluff, and I ran too. Soon j 
I saw you in the boat, going over the water like a j 
dove through the air, leaving a white streak of foam i 
behind. Presently your father said, ‘ It is a devil ] 
fish! He cannot hold that gait long. Sam, do you i 
and William (for William had by this time come up : 
from the water), get the canoe ready in a minute, 
and let us follow them.’ Then he wrung his hands, | 
and said, ^ O my God, spare my children! ’ 

William and I ran a few steps toward the canoe, j 
hut I came back to tell master that the canoe could j 
not float— a piece of timber had fallen from the | 
wharf, and punched a great hole in it. Then the . 
soldier said, ‘ The Major has a fine sailboat. Doctor. 
If you can do no better, I will ride very fast, and ; 
ask him to send it.’ ‘ Do, if you please; ’ master ; 
said; ' tell the Major he is my only help on earth. 
Lay your horse to the ground, good soldier, I will j 
pay all damages.’ The soldier turned short off,J 
clapped his spurs to his horse, and made him lay | 
himself almost straight to the ground. J 

When your father came to the canoe, he said^ 


THE YOUNG MAROONEKS 


77 


quickly, ^ We can mend tliat hole, and set off long 
before the boat comes from Tampa. Peter, make 
I a five here at once— quick! quick! Judy, run to 
the house, and bring down a pot, and the cake of 
wax, and a double handful of oakum. William, do 
you go to the house too, and bring the side of har- 
ness leather, two hammers, and a paper of the largest 
tacks. And Sam,'’ said he to me, ^ let us take hold 
' of the boat, and turn it over ready for mending.’ 

; The hole was as big as my head, and there were two 
; long cracks besides ; but we worked very fast, and the 
i boat was ready for the water in less than an hour. 
Your father worked as hard as any of us, but every 
once in a while he turned to watch you, and looked 
very sorrowful. At last you went so far away that 
we could barely see you, like a little speck, getting 
smaller and smaller. When you were entirely out 
of sight, your father took his other spyglass, went 
on top of the shed, and watched you till we were 
ready to go. Then he came to us, and said to me and 
William, ^ I have concluded to send you off alone; 
you can row faster without me. I will wait for the 
Major’s boat. The children are now passing Riley’s 
Island, and turning down the coast. Make haste to 
Riley, and say from me, that if lie brings .me back 
my children, I will give him whatever he asks. If 
he needs either of you, do you, Sam, go with him, 
and do you, William, return to me; otherwise do you 
both keep on so far as you can with safety, and 
if you succeed, I will give you also whatever you 
ask. If you can hear anything of them from Riley, 


78 


THE YOUNG MAKOONERS 


make a smoke on the beach; if you learn anything 
good, make two smokes, about a hundred yards 
apart; I will watch for them. And now, my good 
fellows, good-by! and may the Lord give you a safe 
passage and good success! ^ Neither William nor 
I could say one word. We took hold of master’s 
hands, knelt down, and kissed them. And, some- 
how, I saw his hand was very wet ; we could not help 
it; for we love him the same as if he was our father, 
and the tears would come. 

<< We reached the island about twelve o’clock. 
Riley was gone. His wife said lie saw the boat pass, 
knew who was in it, and went after it, without stop- 
ping for more than a calabash of water. When we 
heard that. We jumped into our own boat again, and 
pushed on. Riley’s wife brought down a bag of 
parched com, a dried venison ham, and his gun and 
ammunition. We begged her to make two fires on' 
the beach; for we thought that although it was not’ 
the best news in the world to hear that you had been' 
carried so far away, it was good news to hear that 
you had not been drowned, and that Riley had gone 
after you. 

‘‘ In about an hour we met Riley coming back. 
He had gone to a high bluff, on an island south 
of his, and watched you, until you had passed out of 
sight. He was now returning home, uncertain! 
whether to go after you in the morning, or to give' 
you up altogether. When we gave him your father’s 
message, he said he would go, for the Doctor was a 
good man, but that he must return home for a larger 



Riley and Sam g’oing in search of the Marooners. 





4 


I 


1 


« I 












$ 


THE YOUNG MAROONERS 


79 


boat; that the coast below was dangerous, and that 
! the boat in which he was was not safe. So we came 
to his island, where I stayed with him that night, and 
' William went back to Bellevue. 

‘ ^ As . we left the island at daybreak we saw a 
I vessel sailing towards Tampa, but too far for us 
i to hail. That day we did not search the coast at 
all, more than to keep a sharp lookout, for we knew 
! that you had gone far beyond. But the next three 
I days we went into every cove and inlet, though not 
I very far into any of them. Riley said that since the 
change of Indian Agents, many of his people were 
hostile to the whites, and to all Indians who were 
friendly with them, and that perhaps he should not* 
be safe. 

We saw some Indians on the first few days, 
but the last day we saw none at all. Riley said 
that this coast was barren and bad; nobody visited 
it. The Caloosa Indians, he said, used to live here, 
but they had been starved out. There was only a 
narrow strip ten miles wide, between the sea and the 
swamps within, and a great fire had swept over it a 
few summers before, and burnt up almost all the 
trees. The Indians supposed that this part of the 
coast was cursed by the Great Spirit. 

All that day we found the coast so full of reefs 
and shoals, and covered with breakers, that we could 
scarcely get along. These breakers that you see 
from the bluff, stretch from a great way above. 
Riley did not like to pass them. He said he was 
afraid we could not stop anywhere, except on one 


80 


THE YOUNG MAROONERS 


island, which the Indians dared not visit; because 
they thought that it was enchanted with white deer,* 
and that the curse of the Great Spirit was so strong 
upon it that no Indian could go there and live. 

‘‘ We kept on, however, as well as we could, hop- 
ing to find some place where we could pass the surf, 
and reach the shore, before we came to that terrible j 
island. But the wind was against us, and also blow- 
ing on shore; and we made so little headway, that 
towards evening we had to force our way through, 
the smoothest place we could find, and even tlienj 
were nearly swamped more than once. When we 
landed it was dark. We saw a fire far away, and 
thinking it might be yours, I tried to persuade Eiley 
to go to it; but perhaps he thought it was on that 
island, though he did not say so; he replied onlyl 
that we were going to have a storm soon, and that 
we must be preparing for it. We drew the boat as 
high on the beach as possible, and made it fast; 
by the painter, which was made of twisted deer- ' 
skins. 

After we landed I cut some wood, and tried to: 
make a fire; but before we could kindle it, the wind: 
came and the tide rose. We went to the boat, and' 
drew it up higher on shore, and then higher still; 
but after a while the wind blew so hard, and the 
waves rolled so high, that it was not safe to be near 
the boat at all. Yet we could not afford to lose it; 
so we went down again to draw it up, when all at 

* It is surprieing to learn how widespread is the superstition among semi-civilized 
and uncivilized nations that white deer are connected with enchantment. 


THE YOUNG MAROONERS 


81 


once a big wave came and pitched it upon us as I told 
you. 

I had a terrible night. The water from the 
I beach dashed over me while I was lying under a 
' cedar tree to which I had crawled, and the rain 
, poured down on me. The wind kept such a roaring 
I that if a cannon had been tired you could not have 
I heard it. 

^ ‘ The next morning I tried to set my broken bones. 
Then I dragged myself to the edge of the bluff to see 
if Riley’s body, or the boat, or anything was in sight. 
But nothing was to be seen except the black water 
rolling in from the sea. As the light became stronger, 
I saw afar off your tent and smoke, and I was then 
sure that the fire which we saw the night before was 
i yours. I tried every way to make you see me. 
|| I took Riley ’s rifle, and snapped it, but the gowder 
I inside was wet. Then I went to a bush, and with my 
I one hand cut a long switch, to which I tied my hand- 
I kerchief, and waved and waved it; but nobody saw 
me. I could see you very well (for my sight is 
I good) sitting down, or walking about, as if you were 
I in trouble about something. Then I tried to raise a 
I smoke. Everything was wet; but the tree near me 
[ had a hollow, and in the hollow was some dry rotten 
j wood. I spread some powder on the driest pieces, 

I and, by snapping the rifle over it several times,- set it 
on fire. While I was trying to make a fire, you. Mas 
j Robbut and Mas Harrol, went otf ; but I kept on 
throwing into the fire whatever trash and small wood 
I could collect, until I was sure Miss Mary and Mas 
6 


82 


THE YOUNG MAKOONERS 


Frank would see it. At last I heard their gun, and 
knew by their motions that they saw me; and for a 
time I felt safe. But you were so long time away, 
and I was in such pain, that it seemed to me I must 
die before you could help me, though I saw you come 
to the tent, and heard your guns. And when, late in 
the evening, I saw that you had got a boat, or some- 
thing of that sort, and were coming over the river 
to me, I was so glad that I— I ’’ 

Sam did not finish the sentence. The tears were 
streaming down his black face, and the young people 
were weeping with him. There were but few ques- 
tions to he asked. Sam’s narrative had been so full 
and particular, that it anticipated almost every in- 
quiry. 

The severe labors of the day before, together with 
excitement and loss of rest, had so far relaxed the 
energies of the larger boys, that they did little more 
that day than hang about the tent, and converse with 
Sam and each other about home and their own ad- 
ventures. Several times Harold proposed to Robert 
to join him in visiting the beach, to ascertain whether 
their signal had stood the storm, and if not, to re- 
plant it; but Robert had always some reason ready 
for not going just then. At last, late in the after- 
noon, they took the spade and hoe, and went to the 
beach. The flag was prostrate, and lay half buried 
in the sand; and what was their dismay, on approach- 
ing the bluff, to see a vessel that had evidently passed 
the mouth of the river, sailing to the southward, and 
now about four miles distant. 


THE YOUNG MAROONERS 


83 


0 cousin! exclaimed Eobert, there is our 
vessel— gone! It is the cutter! Father is aboard 
of her ! They came as near as they could, looking for 
our signal— and there it lies! Oh! said he, wring- 
ing his hands, why did we not come sooner? 

‘ ‘ I believe you are correct, ^ ^ replied Harold, look- 
ing sadly after the departing vessel; we have 
missed our chance.’^ 

! There remained one solitary hope. It was pos- 
sible, barely possible, that some one on board might 
be looking that way with a spyglass, and that the 
signal might yet be seen. The boys eagerly seized 
the flagstatf ; they set the lower end upon the ground ; 
they waved it to and fro in the air; they shook their 
handkerchiefs; they tossed up their hats and coats, 
and shouted with all their might (vain shout!), 
^ ^ Brig ahoy ! ^ ’ They gathered grass, leaves, twigs, 
everything inflammable, and raised a smoke, as large 
as possible, and kept it rising higher, higher. They 
were too late; the vessel kept steadily on her way, 
and faded gradually from sight. 

The two boys sat down, and looked sorrowfully 
over the distant waters. They were pale with ex- 
citement, and for a long time neither said a word. 

They may return, said Harold; let us plant 
our flag-staff. ’ ’ 

They dug a deep hole, set the pole in it, threw in 
the dirt, packed it tightly with the handle of the hoe, 
and then returned slowly to the tent. 


THE YOUNG MAllOONEltS 



CHAPTER XI 

SPECULATIONS AND EESOLVES — FISHING — INYENTOKY ! 

OF GOODS — EOASTED FISH — PALMETTO CABBAGE— j 

TOUE — SEA-SHELLS, THEIE USES — THE PELICAN — ! 

NATUEE OF THE COUNTEY — STILL HUNTING — AVILD | 

TUEKEY^S AGAIN — AA^OEK ON THE TENT. 

The little company did not retire early that night. 
SorroAv kept them aAvake. They sat for a long time 
speculating upon the probable destination of the ves- 
sel, and upon their OAvn expectations in the case. To 
one it seemed probable that their father had ob- 
tained the use of the cutter, for the purpose of ex- j 
amining the coast; to another, that he had been i 
brought by it to the jDlace Adhere they had last been i 
seen, and that he Avas noAv not far aAvay; to another, 
that he AYOuld go doAvn as far as the Florida Keys, ; 
and there employ some of the Axreckers to join him i 
in the search. At any rate they Avere sure that a 
search Avas going on, and that it Avould not be long . 
before they A\^ere discoA^ered, and taken home. 

Ere retiring to rest that night they adopted a 
series of resolutions, the substance of Avhich aa^s, 
that they should live eA^ery day in the expectation 
of being taken off, and yet husband their resources, 
as though they Avere to continue there for months. 

1st. They AAwe to keep their signal alAvays fly- 
ing. 

2d. To have a pile of AA^ood ready for a smoke near 
the signal. 


THE YOUNG MAROONEKS 


85 


3d. To examine, and know exactly what stores 
they possessed. 

4th. To keep on hand a store of provisions suffi- 
cient for several weeks. 

5th. To use no more of the stock which they had 
brought with them than was absolutely necessary, 
but to live upon the resources of the island. 

6th. To make their habitation more secure, so that, 
in case of being assailed by such another storm as 
that of Sunday niglit, they might enjoy more perfect 
protection. 

In consequence of these resolutions, the first busi- 
ness to which they attended on the following morn- 
ing, was the preparation of the pile of wood for their 
signal by smoke; and the next, providing a stock of 
food. As a temporary fulfillment of the latter duty, 
Harold went with Frank to obtain a supply of fish, 
leaving Eobert and Mary at the tent, to make out 
the proposed inventory of goods. Both parties ful- 
filled their contracts, and on coming together, Harold 
reported eight large trout, besides a number of crabs 
and a small turtle; and Robert read a list, showing 
that, besides the stores put up by their father for 
Riley, and those brought by Sam and Riley in their 
boat, consisting of bread and bacon, parched corn 
and dried venison, there were rations for a full fort- 
night or more. 

Of the trout all except one were cleaned, and pre- 
sented to Mary; the last Harold reserved for the pur- 
pose, he said, of giving them another specimen of 
wild-woods cookery. Before sitting down to dinner. 


86 


THE YOUNG MAROONEKS 


lie took this one without any preparation whatever 
of scaling or cleansing, and, wrapping it in green 
leaves, laid it in the ashes to roast. It was soon 
done. Then peeling oft the skin, he helped each to 
the pure white meat in such a way as to leave the 
skeleton and its contents untouched. All praised its 
delicate flavor. 

While Harold was absent on his fishing excur- 
sion, Robert, having completed his inventory, had 
obtained another supply of palmetto cabbage. By 
Sam’s instruction, this was freed from every par- 
ticle of the green and hard covering, and then boiled 
in three separate waters, in the last of which was 
put a little salt. When thoroughly done, it was laid 
in a dish, and seasoned. Prepared thus it was a real 
delicacy, partaking of the combined flavors of the 
cauliflower and the artichoke. 

Bent resolutely upon living, as real marooners,” 
on the productions of the island, the boys felt that it 
was necessary for them first to know something more 
of the country around. It was therefore agreed that 
they should devote that day to a tour of hunting and 
exploration combined. 

Taking an early breakfast, and calling Mum, they 
departed, leaving Fidelle as a protector to Mary and 
Frank. The course which they pursued was along 
the coast. For a mile they walked on the smooth 
hard beach, which was covered with innumerable 
shells, of all sorts and sizes. Some were most beauti- 
fully fluted; others were encircled with spurs or 
sharp knots; some were tinted with an exquisite rose 


THE YOUNG MAEOONERS 


87 


color; others were snowy white, and others of a dark 
mahogany. Conchs of a large size were abundant, 
and there were myriads of little rice-shells. 

I wonder if these shells cannot be put to some 
use? ’’ asked Harold. 

^ ^ Certainly they can, ’ ’ Eobert responded. ^ ^ If we 
need lime, we can obtain it by burning them. These 
large round shells may be cut so as to make hand- 
some cups and vases. The long ones are used by 
many poor people for spoons. And the conch makes 
a capital trumpet : our negroes on the seaboard make 
a hole in the small end for this purpose. We often 
hear the boatmen blowing their conchs at night; and 
when the sound comes to us across the water, as an 
accompaniment to their boat songs, it is particularly 
sweet. ’ ’ 

On learning this use of the conch shell, Harold 
selected several fine specimens, and threw them 
higher on the beach, remarking that, in case they 
remained upon the island, they would need other 
signals than those of the gun or the smoke for call- 
ing each other’s attention; and that he intended to 
try his skill in converting some of these shells into 
trumpets. 

Pocketing some of the most delicate varieties for 
Mary and Frank, they continued down the coast, 
attracted by a large white object near the water- 
side. At first it appeared to be a great heap of foam 
thrown there by the sea, but soon they saw it move, 
and Robert pronounced it to be a pelican. It is a 
pity that it is not eatable,” said he, '' for one bird 


THE YOUNG MAROONEliS 


would furnish more flesh than a large gobbler. But 
it is fisliy. ^ ’ 

“ 0, if that is its only fault, we can correct it,’’ re- 
plied Harold. ‘ ‘ Irecollect one day when yon were sea- 
sick, hearing the captain say that he had eaten every 
sea-bird that flies, except Mother Cary’s chickens; 
and that he took off the skin as you would that of a 
deer or rabbit, and soaked the flesh in strong brine; 
or, if he was on shore, he buried it for a day or two 
in the earth, and that then the flesh was pleasant 
enough. He said, moreover, that the fishy taste of 
water-fowl comes mostly from the skin. Come, let 
us get that fellow. I cannot help thinking what a 
nice shawl, in cold or rainy weather, his skin would 
make for Mary, if properly cured with all its feathers 
on.” 

The pelican, however, saved them all trouble on , 
account of either its flesh or its skin, for, being a very i 
shy bird, it flew away long before they came within 
gunshot. 

Having ascended the bluff, they stood upon a bank 
of sand, and looking far down the coast, as well as 
inland, they found that immediately upon the bluff, 
and for a quarter of a mile inland, the country was 
bare of trees, except here and there a cluster of 
dwarfed cedars, overtopped by tall palmettoes; but 
in the interior the forest trees appeared rising 
into loftier magnificence the farther they grew 
from the sea. Striking across the barren strip 
wliich, however, was pleasantly varied by pretty 
little wildernesses of chincapin (dwarf -chestnut) 


THE YOUNG MAROONERS 


89 


bushes, whose open burrs revealed each a shining 
I jet black cone — and, entering the kind of forest 
where game might be expected, Harold gave Mum 
I the order to ^ ‘ Hie on ; ’ ’ and the dog was soon dasli- 
I ing about in every direction. 

'' I suppose,’' said Robert, that you intend to 
; still hunt. But if so, you must remember that I 
have yet to learn the art; and if you wish not to 
I be interrupted by my blunders, you had better de- 
scribe now, before we go to the work, how still 
I hunters find their game, and then how they ap- 
proach it. ’ ’ 

They find their game by various means,” 
Harold replied; sometimes by watching or track- 
ing with their own keen eyes alone; at other times 
using a dog trained for the purpose, as we expect to 
do. This latter is the easier plan, if the dog is good. 
When Mum has discovered a trail, he will keep 
directly before us, and, as the trail freshens, he will 
grow more cautious, till at last his step will become 
as stealthy and noiseless as that of a cat. We must 
then be cautious too. If the underwood is thick, so 
that we cannot see the deer, nor they see us, until we 
are upon them, our success will depend upon the 
quickness of our shots, and the certainty of our aim ; 
but if the woods are open, so that we can see them far 
off, we must use the cover of a hill or of a thicket to 
conceal our approach, or else one of us must leave 
the dog with the other, and advance upon them in 
the open woods.” 

But you do not mean to say,” Robert argued, 


90 


THE YOUNG MAROONERS 


in surprise, ‘ ‘ that deer will allow you to come upon 
them in broad daylight, and shoot them down? 

Yes, I do,’^ he replied; and it is easy enough 
if you will pursue the right plan. When a deer feeds, 
he directs his eyes to the ground; and during that 
time he sees nothing except what is just at his nose. 
That is the opportunity you must take to advance. 
The moment he lifts his head you must stand stock- 
still; and if your dress happen to be of the color of a 
stump, he will be apt to take you for one. ^ ’ 

But can you stop soon enough to imitate a 
stump? 

Of course you must be quick; but this brings 
me to speak of another fact. A deer never puts 
down or raises his head without first shaking his 
tail. Keep your eye, therefore, steadily fixed upon 
him, and guide your motions by his signs. Old 
Torgah used to give me an amusing account of the 
difference between deer and turkeys in this respect; 
for, with all their sagacity, in some things deer are 
very simple, while the turkey is so keen and watch- 
ful as to be called by hunters ‘ the wit of the woods.' 
Old Torgah 's account, given in his broken English, is 
this: ^ In jin, ' said he, ^ see deer feed, and creep on 
him when his head down. Deer shake 'ee tail; Injin 
stop still. Deer look hard at him, and say, ' ‘ Stump ! 
stump! nothing but stump! " Presently Injin creep 
close, and shoot him down. But Injin see turkey 
feed, and creep on him. Turkey raise 'ee long neck 
to look, and Injin stand still like a stump; but turkey 
never say, Stump! " once; he say, Dat old Injin 


THE YOUNG MAKOONERS 


91 


. now ! ’ ^ and he gone. ’ But see, Mum has struck the 
trail of something. Notice how eager he is, yet how 
patiently he waits for us. Come, let us follow. ’ ’ 

In Eobert ’s opinion. Mum ’s reputation for patience 
was, on the present occasion, not deserved; for his 
pace was so rapid that it was difficult for them to 
keep within sight; and, moreover, he soon sprang 
ahead, and burst into a full loud cry. I thought 
you said that he hunted in silence,’’ Eobert re- 
marked, almost out of breath with running. 

^ ‘ I said he was silent on the trail of deer, ’ ’ replied 
Harold, ^ ^ but these are turkeys. Do you not see the 
' deep print of their toes in running? Mum knows 
' what he is about. His racing after them will cause 
them to fly into the trees ; and then as he stands below 
and barks, they will keep their eyes fixed on him, 
and never notice us. There they are! See in that 
oak! Do you advance behind the cover of yonder 
mossy tree. I will fipd some other place. But as my 
rifle will carry farther than your smooth-bore, do 
not mind me, except to await my signal. As soon as 
you are ready to fire, let me know by a whistle; if I 
am ready, I will answer you; and then do you fire 
about a second after you hear me. I will take the 
highest turkey. ’ ’ 

They advanced silently but rapidly. Mum kept 
up a furious barking as the hunters approached. 
One whistle was heard, then another; three reports 
followed in quick succession; and four turkeys, two 
of them magnificent gobblers, tumbled heavily from 
the tree. 


92 


THE YOUNG MAROONEKS 


'' Well done for us! Hurrah! shouted the boys, 
running to secure their prey. 

It was indeed good shooting, although part of it 
was accidental. Eobert fairly won the credit of his 
two shots, having brought down the birds he aimed 
at; but the ball from Harold’s rifle had passed 
through the eye of the one which he had selected, 
and broken the legs of another unseen by him 
beyond, and it now lay floundering ujocn the ground 
unhurt, except in its fractured limbs, but unable to 
rise. 

The young hunters swung their prizes over a pole, 
of which each took an end, and then turned their 
faces homewards. Tlie distance was not more than 
two miles, but, burdened as they were with guns and 
game, and often compelled to cut their way through 
a network of the grapevine and yellow jessamine, or 
dense masses of undergroAvth, they were nearly two 
hours in making it. Frank spied them from afar, 
and giving Mary a call, bounded to meet them. 

Whew! ” he whistled, on seeing their load, '' what 
a bundle of turkeys! ” He offered to help them to 
carry a part of the load; but they preferred that he 
should show his kindness by providing them with 
some cool water. We will pay you for your trou- 
ble,” said they, patting their pockets, which were 
stuffed full of something heavy; make haste, and 
let us have it. ’ ’ 

By the time they had wiped their wet brows, and 
begun to enjoy their rest, the water came. The boys 
hist emptied their pockets of the shells and chinca- 


THE YOUNG MAROONERS 


93 


pins found during their ramble, and then cooled 
themselves by bathing their wrists ; after which they 
drank, and, casting themselves at length upon their 
couches of moss, they talked across the tent to Sam, 
who seemed to be as much elated as any of them with 
their success. 

It was now past the middle of the day. The after- 
noon was spent in working upon their tent. Their 
object was to make it impervious to rain and drift, 
in case of another storm; and this they effected by 
raising the floor, and by spreading the sail of their 
, boat as an outer awning. 

This work being completed, Harold carried out his 
purpose of providing other means of signaling than 
fires and firearms. Taking a hammer and a large nail, 
he carefully drilled a smooth hole in the small end of 
one of the conchs which he had brought to the tent. 

^ Then putting the conch to his lips, he brought from 
it a loud, clear note like that of a bugle. Kobert had 
no difficulty in doing the same thing. Then Mary 
and Frank were instructed by the two elder boys, 
and thus every one of the party acquired the art 
of the trumpeter. 

Now, Mary,’^ said Harold, if ever you wish to 
call us home when we are within a mile of you at 
night, or half a mile during the day, you have only to 
use this trumpet. For an ordinary call, sound a long, 
loud blast, but for an alarm, if such a thing should be 
needed, sound two long blasts, with the interval of a 
second. When you wish to call for Frank, sound a 
short blast, for Bobert two, and for me three.” 


94 


THE YOUNG MAKOONEliS 


CHAPTEK XII 

KAINY DAY— HUNTING OPOSSUMS. 

It was fortunate for the young adventurers that 
they had executed so promptly their intended work 
upon the tent, for, though they had no heavy wind, 
the rain poured down during the whole night; and 
when they rose next morning, the sky was full of low 
scudding clouds, which brought rain all the morning, 
and threatened a long continuance of it. 

Contrary, however, to the expectation of the ma- 
rooners, the rain began to abate about noon, and long 
before sunset the surface of the earth was so much 
dried, and the drops left upon the trees and bushes 
had been so thoroughly exaporated, or shaken off by 
the brisk wind, that the boys used the opportunity 
to bring in a supply of wood and lightwood. The 
lightwood was very rich, and split into such beautiful 
torch pieces, that Harold was tempted to think of a 
kind of sport in which he had often engaged, and of 
which he was very fond. ‘ MVe have been pent up all 
day,’’ said he to Eobert; suppose we take a fire- 
hunt to-night. ’ ’ 

With all my heart,” was the reply; and I 
think no one will object to our having a fat roast 
pig for our Sunday dinner. ’ ’ 

‘^Probably not,” Harold rejoined; and I am 
still more in favor of the idea, for the reason that, 
as we take such game alive, we can keep it as long 
as we wish. ’ ’ 


THE YOUNG MAKOONEKS 


95 


Their preparation for the excursion consisted 
simply in splitting an armful of lightwood, which 
I Harold tied into a bundle, to be readily slung over 
the shoulders by a strap. 

I As soon as it was dark they departed. They had not 
proceeded a half mile, before the quick sharp bark, 
first of Mum, then of Fidelle, gave indications of 
their having treed some kind of game: they 
barked incessantly. Hastening to the spot, the hunt- 
' ers saw the dogs looking eagerly up a slender, tall 
persimmon. 

j At first they saw nothing in the branches, or on 
i the body of the tree; and had begun almost to con- 
I elude that (in hunter’s phrase) their dogs had lied, 
when Harold took the torch, waved it to and fro 
behind him, walking thus round the tree, and keep- 
ing his eyes fixed on the place where he supposed 
the opossum to be. Presently he cried out, We 
have him ! I see his eyes ! Mum, poor fellow, ’ ’ pat- 
ting his head, you never lie, do you? ” Mum 
wagged his expressive tail with great emphasis, 
as much as to say that he perfectly understood 
both the slander and the recantation, and that 
he now desired nothing but the privilege of giv- 
ing that ’possum a good shake. Eobert also took 
the light, and holding it behind him, saw amid a 
bunch of moss two small eyes glistening in the 
dark. 

The aim was so fair that the gun might have been 
used with certainty, were it not against all hunting 
rule: an opossum must be caught, not killed. The 


96 


THE YOUNG MAROONERS 


boys plied their ax upon the yielding wood, the eyes 
of the now silent dogs being fixed alternately upon 
the game above and the work below. The tree cracked 
and toppled. Mum ’s ears stood perfectly erect ; and i 
ere the branches had time to sway back, from their 
crash upon the ground, he was among them, growling 
at something upon Avliich he had pounced. It was 
the opossum; and, like all the rest of its tribe when 
in the presence of an enemy, it seemed to be stone 
dead. Harold took it up by its scaly, ratlike tail, 
and went on. 

In the course of a short walk they took a second 
opossum, and on their way back, a third. These were : 
as many as they could conveniently carry; and tak- 
ing their captives home, they made them secure 
by tying a forked stick round the neck of each, 
on the plan of a pig-yoke. From the moment that 
these singular animals found themselves in the j)ower 
of their enemies, they put on all the usual appear- 
ances of death ; not a muscle twitched, nothing stirred 
or trembled; each limb was stiff, and each eye closed; I 
not even the groAvl or grip of the dogs was sufficient | 
to disturb their perfect repose. Eobert could 
scarcely persuade himself that they were not really 
dead. Harold laughed. 

‘ ^ They can stand the crash of a tree and the worry- 
ing of dogs,’’ he said, after they were made secure; 

but there is one thing which they cannot stand. 
See here! ” and he poured a cupful of cold water on 
each. The shock seemed to be electric. Each dead 
opossum was gahmnized into life, and pulled stoutly 


THE YOUNG MAROONETIB 


97 


to break away from its wooden fetters. ‘‘ Now let 
us go to bed.” 

Next day a cage for the opossums was constructed 
of poles several inches in diameter, notched into each 
other, and approaching at the top like a stick-trap. 
The floor was also guarded with poles to prevent the 
captives from burrowing out. 


CHAPTER XIIT 

A hunter’s misfortune— relief to a sprain — now 

TO AVOID BEING LOST IN THE WOODS, AND TO RE- 
COVER one’s course after being lost — A STILL 

HUNT. 

The next morning, Mary said that if some one did 
not go out hunting, they should soon be out of provi- 
sions. ^ ^ Cousin Harold can take Frank and go to the 
woods,” she said, while you and I, brother, can 
catch a mess of fish. ’ ’ 

Accordingly, Harold took Frank and disappeared 
in the forest, where they were absent several hours, 
and Robert and Mary went to the oyster bank, where 
they supplied themselves with bait, and then, em- 
barking on the raft, began to fish for sheepshead, 
near a log imbedded in the mud, and covered with 
barnacles and young oysters. The success of the 
fishing party was very good; they soon had a basket 
half full of fish, and the remainder filled with 
shrimp. 


7 


98 


THE YOUNG MAKOONEJtS 


Not SO with the hunters. Kobert and Mary were 
engaged in preparing their prizes for use, when they , 
heard a sharp halloo, and saw Frank emerging from | 
a dense growth of bushes, with the rifle upon his ' 
shoulder, followed by Harold, who was limping pain- : 
fully, and beckoning them to approach. 

Washing their hands with haste, Robert and Mary 
ran to meet them. Harold was seated on a log, look- 
ing very pale. Within an hour after leaving the tent 
he had sprained his ankle, and ever since had been 
slowly and with great suffering limping homeward, i 
Mary was frightened to see the haggard looks of her 
cousin, and inquired anxiously what she could do to : 
help him. 

Take the gun, sister,’^ said Robert. Lean on ' 
me, cousin; I will support you to the tent, and then | 
show you the best thing in the world for a sprain. ’ ^ 
Mary ran to the tent, put the gun in its place, | 
prepared Harold’s couch, and then at Robert’s re- 
quest hurried with Frank to the spring, and had i 
brought up a bucket of water by the time that | 
Harold’s shoe and stocking had been removed. The | 
ankle was much swollen, and the blood had settled i 
around it in deep blue clouds. l 

‘‘ Now, sister,” said Robert, bring me the coffee- \ 
pot and a basin.” 

The basin was placed under the foot, and the 
coffee-pot, filled with cool water, was used to pour 
a small stream upon the injured part. This pro- ' 
cess was continued for half an hour, by which time 
the inflammation and pain were greatly reduced. It 


THE YOUNG MAROONERS 


99 


was repeated several times that day, and once more 
before retiring to bed; the good effects being mani- 
fest on each occasion. 

This accident not only confined the whole com- 
pany at home for the rest of the day, but caused 
an unpleasant conviction to press heavily upon the 
mind of Robert— that the whole responsibility of 
supplying the family with food and other neces- 
saries would for a time devolve upon himself. This 
fact almost made him shudder, for, though a will- 
ing boy, he was not robust; labor was i^ainful to 
him; at times he felt a great disinclination to bodily 
effort, but the greatest difficulty in the way of his suc- 
cess in their present mode of life was his ignorance 
of some of the most necessary elements of the hun- 
ter’s art. 

Harold,” said he, with a rueful face, the next 
morning, when they had finished talking over the 
various means for discovering and apiDroaching 
game in the forest; to tell you the truth, I am 
afraid of getting lost in these thick and tangled 
woods. It is a perfect wonder to me how you can 
dash on through bush and brier, and turn here and 
there, as if you knew every step of the way, when, 
if I were left alone, I should never find my way home 
at all. Now my head is easily turned, and when I 
am once lost, I am lost.” 

I know exactly what you mean,” replied Har- 
old, and long ago I used to feel in the same way. 
But there are two or three rules which helped me 
much, and which I will give to you. 


LofC. 


100 


THE YOUNG MAKOONEKS 


'' The first is, never allow to yourself that you are 
lost. Say to yourself that you are mistaken, or that ’ 
you have taken the wrong course, or anything that f 
you will, but never allow the lost feeling to come ^ 
over you, so long as you can keep it oft. 

When, however, you ascertain that you have un- 
fortunately missed your track, your next rule is 
to sit down as quietly as possible and determine your 
course. Most people in such a case become excited, 
run here and there, at perfect random, and become 
worse bewildered than before. First determine the 
points of the compass, and then strike for the point 
you are most certain of reaching. For instance, you 
know that anywhere on this island the sea lies to the 
west, and a river to the north. You can surely find 
either of these points ; and when they are once found, 
you will be no longer in doubt, although you may be 
far from home. ’ ’ 

But how am I to know the points of the com- , 
pass? inquired Kobert. 

Easily enough,’^ his cousin replied. ‘‘ But 
before speaking of that, let me give you my third 
rule, which is, never get lost.” 

Robert laughed. That is the only rule I want. 
Give me that and you may have the rest. ’ ’ 

Then,” continued Harold, make it your con- 
stant habit to notice the course you travel, and the 
time you occupy. Watch the sun, or the shadows of 
the trees, and observe the angle at which you cross 
them. Early in the morning the shadows are very 
long, and point west. In the middle of the forenoon. 


THE YOUNG MAKOONERS 


lOi 


they are about as long as the trees that make them, 
and all point northwest. And at twelve o ’clock they 
are very short, and point due north. To a woodsman 
the shadows are both clock and compass; and by 
keeping your mind on them, you can easily make 
what the captain would call your ‘ dead reckoning. ’ ’ ’ 

‘ ‘ But, ’ ’ said Robert, ^ ‘ what would you do on such 
a day as this, when there is neither sun nor 
shadow! ” 

You must work by another rule,” he replied. 

Old Torgah gave me three signs for telling the 
points of the compass. They were the limbs, the 
bark, and the green moss on the trunks of trees well 
exposed to the sun. Moss, you know, loves the shade, 
while the bark and limbs grow all the faster for hav- 
ing plenty of light. Asa general rule, therefore, you 
will find on the south, or sunny side of a tree large 
limbs and thick, rough bark; while the north side is 
often covered with green moss. 

Thank you, cousin,” said Robert; thank you 
sincerely. You have relieved my mind from the 
greatest embarrassment I have felt at the thought of 
roaming these dark woods alone. Your rules give 
me confidence; for the very trees that before caused 
my bewilderment shall now become my guides.” 

He took his gun, called his dog, and said, Jump, 
Frank, I am ready to go. Let us see if we cannot 
find a deer. ’ ’ 

So the two set otf. The first business was to visit 
the turkey baits. These had been set a few days 
before, near some oak trees, of the sweet acorns of 


102 


THE YOUNG MATIOONERS 


wliicli the wild turkeys were particularly fond. Rob- 
ert now found that from one of the baited places the 
corn and peas had all disappeared. Turkeys had 
evidently been there. “ What a pity we had not 
brought some more bait, ’ ’ remarked Robert ; 

Harold says that when they have once found food 
at a place, they are almost sure to retuni the next 
day to look for more. We must share with them our 
dinner of parched corn.” 

Renewing the bait, they proceeded in a straight 
course south, having for their guide the bright clouds 
that showed the place of the sun to the southeast. 

Hardly had they started when Mum began to smell 
and snort here and there, intent upon a confused 
trail. His motion became soon more steady, and he 
dashed ofi at a pace that made the hunters run to 
keep in sight. Afraid that at this rate Frank would 
give out, and that he himself would be too much out 
of breath to aim surely, or to creep cautiously upon 
the deer, Robert called out, Steady, Mum! ” The 
well-trained creature instantly slackened his speed, 
and, keeping only about a rod ahead, went forward 
at a moderate walk. In this way they followed for 
a full quarter of a mile, when Robert saw him lift 
his nose from the ground, and walk with noiseless, 
step, keeping his eyes directed forwards. He 
‘‘ steadied ” him again by a half whispered com- 
mand, and kept close at his heels. Soon he saw a 
pair of antlers peering above a distant thicket, and 
the brown side of a deer among the branches. Softly 
ordering Mum to ^ ‘ come in, ’ ^ and noticing that what 


THE YOUNG MAROONERS lOo 

little wind there was blew so as not to carry their 
scent to the deer, he said to Frank, Buddy, if you 
will remain by this large poplar, I will creep behind 
yonder thicket, and see if I cannot get a shot. Will 
you be afraid? ’’ 

No,^’ he replied, if you do not go too far 
away. ’ ^ 

I will not go out of hearing,” Robert said, 
and if you need anything, whistle for me, but 
do not call. Hide yourself behind this tree, and 
when your hear me shoot, come as soon as you 
please.” 

It was easy to cover his advance behind the dense 
foliage of a viny bower, until he was quite near. 
He paused to listen; the rustle of leaves and the 
sound of stamping feet were distinctly heard. A 
cautious movement gave him a commanding view 
of the ground. There were three deer feeding within 
easy reach of his shot. He sprung both barrels, and 
tried to be deliberate, but in spite of all resolution 
his heart jumped into his mouth, and his hand shook 
violently; he had what hunters call ^ ‘ the buck-ague. ’ ^ 
Steadying his piece against a stout branch, he aimed 
at the shoulders of the largest deer, and fired. It fell, 
with a bound forward. The others, instead of 
darting away, as he expected, turned in apparent 
surprise to look at the unusual vision of smoke and 
fire, accompanied by such a noise, when he took de- 
liberate aim with a now steady hand, and fired at the 
head of the next largest, as it was in the act of 
springing away. 


104 


THE YOHNH MAROONEiiS 


‘‘ Come, Frank! come! ’’ lie shouted. 

Frank, however, had started at the first report, 
and ran at the top of his speed to join his brother. 

But what was now to be done? Here were two 
large deer lying upon the earth. Robert decided to 
carry home one and return for the other. 

Before proceeding homeward, however, he blazed 
a number of trees, to show the place where his game 
lay; then selecting a tree which stood in the course, 
and was at a considerable distance, he went towards 
it, chopping each bush and sapling with his hatchet; 
and, making a broad blaze upon this tree, he selected 
another in the same line, and proceeded thus, until 
he reached the tent. He had learned by one-half 
day’s practice to thread the trackless forest with a 
steadiness of course and a confidence of spirit that 
were surprising to himself. 


CHAPTER XIV 

CRUTCHES IN DEMAND — CURING VENISON — TUR- 
KEY TROUGH — SOLITARY WATCHING — FEARFUL 
ENCOUNTER. 

Harold’s ankle continued so painful whenever he 
attempted to move, that Sam advised him, the morn- 
ing after the accident, to construct for himself a 
pair of crutches. ‘ ' Make ’em strong and good. Mas 
Harol,” said he, with a broad grin of satisfaction. 
'' I hope by time you trow ’em away. I’ll pick ’em 


THE YOUNG MAROONERS 


105 


Hp.’’ This work occupied the two invalids, while 
Robert and Frank were engaged in their successful 
deer hunt. 

When the venison was brought home, Harold made 
arrangements for smoking it. A little wigwam of 
bark was built, with a tirepit scooped out in the 
middle of the floor. Within this simple smoke-house 
the pieces of venison were suspended on poles. A 
fire was kindled, and soon the meat was nicely cured. 

Towards sunset Robert went to the turkey baits. 
The birds had returned to the place they had visited 
before, and eaten all the parched com thrown there 
the second time. Robert renewed the bait, with this 
difference (made on Harold’s suggestion)— that 
whereas he had formerly scattered the corn broad- 
cast, he now strewed it in a sort of trough, or shal- 
low trench, made in the ground. This trench was 
made on a line proceeding straight from a place of 
concealment, selected within good shooting distance. 
Turkeys are greedy feeders; and when they find a 
trench baited in this way, they gather on each side 
of it, with their heads close together, each trying 
to obtain his share of the prize; and a person having 
a gun loaded with duck or squirrel shot, has been 
known to kill six or eight at a time, by firing among 
their interlocking heads. 

An additional visit enabled Robert to determine 
that the hour of their coming was early in the 
morning; and this being the only other circumstance 
wanting to fix the time of his own coming to meet 
them, he used that opportunity to arrange to his 


106 


THE YOUNG MAROONEES 


fancy the place of his concealment. The trench was ' 
on a line with two short hedges of bamboo brier, | 
diverging from each other in the shape of the letter ^ 
V, and having a place of egress at the angle. He ' 
closed the mouth of the V by planting a blind of ever- ; 
greens as high as his head, and very close at the bot- j 
tom; and as it was probable that he should be com- i 
polled to remain some hours in concealment, he made i 
a seat, and opened through the blind a hole for oh- j 
servation. i 

On the following morning he was up and moving 
at the peep of day. Mary prepared him a cup of 
coffee, and by the time that there was light sufficient 
to follow the blazed track he was on the way. 

On arriving at the spot he saw that the bait was 
yet untouched. He took his seat, and continued for 
a long time peeping through the porthole, and listen- 
ing to every sound. ^ 

Presently the welcome “ twit! twit! of the ex- 
pected game caused him to look through his port- 
hole. A large turkey cock, accompanied by four 
hens, ran directly to the trench, and all five began to 
eat as fast as they could pick up the grains. Robert 
cautiously slipped his gun through the porthole, and 
took deliberate aim, confident that he could kill the 
five at one shot. But a slight movement of his gun 
made a noise against the leaves, which attracted the 
attention of the turkeys, and caused the hens to dart 
away. The gobbler, being the leader and protector 
of the party, stood his ground courageously, stretch- 
ing his long neck fully four feet high, looking in 


THE YOUNG MAROONERS 


107 


every direction, and then coming cautiously towards 
the blind to reconnoiter. 

Robert had gained experience from his still hunt- 
ing; and in this conjuncture stood perfectly motion- 
less, keeping his gun as immovable as the stiff branch 
of a dry tree. The bird was deceived. It returned 
quietly to the trench and began feeding. Robert 
waited in the hope that it would be joined by an- 
other; but no other coming, he fired while it was 
picking up the last few grains, and killed it. At 
the moment of pulling the trigger, he heard a rustle 
of leaves in the tree above the turkey, and an instant 
after the report of his gun a heavy fall upon the 
ground. As he rushed from his concealment to seize 
the fallen game, he was horrified to see an enormous 
beast of the cat kind crushing the head of the bird 
in its mouth, while its paw pinioned the fluttering 
wings. It was a panther. It had crawled into the 
tree while Robert was watching for the coming of 
the turkeys. For half an hour it had been glaring 
upon him with its big eyeballs, waiting until he 
should pass near enough to be pounced upon. 

The coming of the turkeys had distracted its at- 
tention; and being hungry, it had ceased to watch 
for its human victim, and resolved to take that which 
was surer. When Robert emerged from his conceal- 
ment it turned upon him, dropped the mangled head 
from its bloody mouth, reversed the hair on both 
back and tail, showed its enonnous fangs, and 
growled. Had he retreated from the field, he might 
have escaped the terrible conflict that awaited him; 


108 


THE YOUNG MAEOONERS 


for the panther, left to the peaceable possession of its 
prize, would probably have snatched it up and run 
away. But Eobert ’s horror at the sight was so great 
that for a moment he was paralyzed. He convuls- 
ively clutched his gun, and was on the point of fir- 
ing almost without aim, when another fierce growl 
from the panther, that appeared to be gathering it- 
self for a leap, brought him to his senses. He took 
deliberate aim between its eyes, and fired. It was a 
desperate chance, for the gun was loaded only with 
duck shot. The howl of rage and pain with which 
the panther bounded toward him, and the horrible 
teeth that it showed, made his blood run cold. He 
clubbed his gun and prepared to aim a heavy blow 
upon the creature’s forehead, but, to his surprise, 
instead of leaping upon him, it sprang upon the 
thicket of briers, about three feet distant, and began 
furiously to tear on every side at perfect random. 

Robert needed no better chance to escape from so 
dangerous a neighborhood; and, in the moment of 
leaving, saw that both eyes of the animal had been 
shot away, and that blood was streaming down its 
face. He hurried on for a few steps, but fearing that 
the frantic beast might pursue him, he slipped behind 
a tree, and, pouring hastily into his gun a charge of 
powder, which he rammed down as he ran, put upon 
that a heavy load of deer shot, and then made his 
way homewards. 

Ere he had run one-half the distance, however, 
his fears began to subside. The panther, if not 
mortally wounded, was stone-blind; why should he 


THE YOUNG MAROONERS 


109 


' not muster courage enough to complete the work, 
and thus perform a feat of which he might be proud 
as long as he lived ? In the midst of this cogitation, 
he heard before him the tramp of footsteps, and 
caught sight of an animal bounding towards him 
wdth rapid pace. Could this be the panther which 
had pursued him, and was now intercepting his 
flight? He leveled his piece in readiness for battle, 
and was preparing to pull the trigger at the first 
fair sight, when he saw that, instead of a panther, it 
was Mum— good faithful Mum, broken loose from his 
confinement at home, and come in the moment of need 
to help his master. What a relief! Eobert called 
and patted him, and then said, Stop, Mum! Ifil 
give you something to do directly. Just wait a 
minute, boy, till I load this other barrel; and with 
you to help me, I shall not be afraid of any panther, 
whether his eyes are in or out. ’ ’ 

Mum had sagacity enough to know that his master 
was greatly excited, and he showed his own sym- 
pathy by whining, frisking about, and wagging his 
short tail. Robert loaded with despatch, hurried 
back, keeping Mum directly before him, and hold- 
ing his piece ready for instant use; but the panther 
had disappeared. 

On reaching the field of battle. Mum’s first act 
was to spring upon the prostrate bird, but, finding 
it dead, he let it lie. When he perceived the odor of 
the panther’s track, his hair bristled, he followed 
the trail for a few steps, and returned, looking wist- 
fully into his master’s face. He evidently under- 


no 


THE YOUNG MAROONEKS 


stood tlie dangerous cliaracter of tjie beast that bad 
been there, and was reluctant to follow. Robert, 
however, put him upon the trail, and encouraged 
him to proceed. Mum undertook the business very 
warily. He went first to the brier on which the pan- 
ther had last been seen ; then in a zigzag course, that 
seemed to be interrupted by every bush against 
which the blinded beast had struck; finally he , 
bristled up again, and gave signs of extreme caution. 
A few steps brought him and his master to a fallen 
log, between two large branches of which Robert saw . 
his enemy, crouched and panting. Softly he called in i 
his dog. The panther pricked up its ears, and raised ' 
its head, as if trying to pierce through the impene- 
trable gloom. Robert came noiselessly nearer and 
nearer until within ten paces, when deliberately tak- ‘ 
ing aim, he discharged the whole load of bullets 
between the creature ’s eyes. It leaped convulsively 
forward, and died almost without a struggle. 

Robert marked carefully the spot where it lay, and, 
returning to the tree for his turkey, hurried home, 
to tell the others of his perilous adventure. 

Hardly had he come within sight, before Frank’s 
quick eyes discerned him. '' What! ” said he, with 
a playful taunt, '' only one turkey! I thought you 
would have had a houseful, you stayed so long and 
fired so often. Cousin Harold hardly knew what to 
make of it; he said he supposed you must have 
wounded a turkey; so I ran and let Mum loose to help 
you. ’ ’ 

I am glad you did,” replied Robert, drawing 


4 


THE YOUNG MAROONERS 


111 


a long breath, for never in my life was I more in 
need of help/^ 

^ ^ And you didn ’t get anything more after all ? ’ ’ 

^ ^ 0, yes, I got all I aimed at. But something came 
near getting me too. Where are cousin Harold and 
sister? 

In the tent.’^ 

Harold and Mary smiled with pleasure to see the 
bird on EoberHs shoulder, but could not understand 
the seriousness of countenance with which he ap- 
proached. He related the particulars of his adven- 
ture, to which they listened with breathless atten- 
tion. Mary turned very pale, Harold’s eyes flashed, 
and Sam’s white teeth shone in repeated laughs of 
admiration. 

How I wish I could have been with you,” said 
Harold, looking mournfully at his lame foot. 

^ ‘ I wish you had been. ’ ’ 

^ ^ That was a terrible moment, when you had fired 
your last barrel, and the panther was rushing toward 
you. You must have given up all for lost.” 

No,” replied Eobert, I felt myself tremen- 
dously excited, but had no idea of giving up. ’ ’ 

That is natural,” said Harold. No one ever 
gives up while there is anything to do. But do tell 
me, what did you think of? People can think so fast, 
and so powerfully, when brought to the pinch, that 
I like to hear all about their plans and thoughts. 
Tell me everything. ’ ’ 

<< From first to last,” said Eobert, smiling, I 
thought of many things, but of none which I had 


112 


THE YOUNG MAKOONERS 


time to execute, except to fire into liis eyes, and 
club my gun. I first tliouglit of running away, but 
not until I bad stood so long that the panther seemed 
about to spring upon me. But,’’ he continued, 
what shall I do with the carcass! Leave it where 
it is, or bring it to the tent 1 ’ ’ 

0 bring it, bring it, by all means,” Harold re- 
plied;'' I doubt not cousin Mary and Frank will help 
you.” 

Accordingly, Mary, Frank and Robert went into 
the woods and dragged the panther’s body to the. 
tent-door. 


CHAPTER XV 

TURKEY-PEN — EXPLORING TOUR — " MADAME BRUIN ” 
— NIGHT IN THE WOODS — PRAIRIE — INDIAN HUT — 
FRUIT TREES — RETURN HOME. 

It would be useless, and perhaps tedious, to trace 
thus day by day, and hour by hour, the history of 
our young friends. We will now pass over an inter- 
val of nearly three weeks, from Saturday, November 
sixth, when Robert’s contest with the panther oc- 
curred, to Wednesday, November twenty-fourth, 
when the affairs of the party took another turn. 

The only incident worth relating that occurred 
during this period, was the construction of a pen 
for entrapping turkeys. It was simply a covered 
enclosure, ten or twelve feet square, with a deep 
trench communicating from the outside to the center. 


THE YOUNG MAROONERS 


113 


This trench was made deep enough to allow a feeding 
turkey to walk under the side of the pen, while next 
the wall, inside, it was bridged over, so that the birds 
in running along the walls, after having entered, 
might not fall into the trench, and see their way out. 
This trap was planned with a knowledge of the fact, 
that though a turkey looks down when feeding, it 
never looks down when trying to escape. This is 
equally true of the quail or southern partridge, and 
probably of gallinaceous birds in general. By means 
of this trap the boys took more turkeys than they 
really needed. 

In the meantime Harold’s ankle had become so 
nearly well, that for a week he had not used his 
crutches; and Sam’s bones, though by no means fit 
to be used, were rapidly knitting. 

No one. had yet come to the rescue of the party. 
Often had they gone, singly and together, to the 
flagstatf, and swept the watery horizon with their 
glass, but no helper appeared. Eobert and Mary had 
learned by this time to curb their impatience, and to 
await in calmness the time when they should begin 
working upon their proposed boat. 

From the first day that they found themselves 
shut up upon the island, Robert and Harold had 
meditated an exploration of the surrounding coun- 
try, but had hitherto been prevented by various 
causes. 

The stock of provisions laid in by this time was 
quite respectable. Five deer had been killed, and 
their hams were now in the smoke, the company 
8 


114 


THE YOUNG MAROONERS 


having in the meantime subsisted upon the other 
parts of the venison, turkeys from the pen, oysters, 
crabs and fish. There were also fifty dried fish, 
two live turkeys, and four fat opossums in the cage 
made for them, to say nothing of the stores brought 
from home. Before starting, the boys provided Mary 
with a large supply of wood for the kitchen and 
smoke-house, water also, and everything else which 
they could foresee as needful. 

It was broad daylight on the morning of Wednes- 
day, the twenty-fourth day of November, when they 
set out upon their tour. Eobert carried the wallet of 
provisions consisting of parched com, smoked veni- 
son, and a few hard crackers of Mary^s manufacture; 
in his belt he fastened a flat powder-flask filled with 
water, being the best substitute he could devise for 
a canteen. Harold carried the blanket rolled up and 
Frank’s hatchet stuck in his belt. 

Wishing to ascertain the coastwise dimensions of 
the island, and also the approaches to it from sea, 
they directed their course along the hard, smooth 
beach, occasionally ascending the bluff for the pur- 
pose of observing the adjacent country. Their rate 
of traveling was at first intentionally slow, for they 
were both pedestrians enough to know that the more 
slowly a journey is commenced, the more likely it is 
to be comfortably continued. 

At the end of six miles they plainly discerned 
the southern extremity of the island, lying a mile 
beyond, and marked by a high bank of sand, thrown 
up in such profusion as almost to smother a group 


THE YOUNG MAEOONERS 


115 


of dwarfed, ill-formed cedars. Beyond the bluff they 
I saw the river setting eastward from the sea, and 
bordered on its further side with a dense growth of 
; mangroves. Satisfied with this discovery, and ob- 
serving that, after proceeding inland for a few miles, 

! the river bent suddenly to the north, they turned 
their faces eastward, resolved to strike for some 
point upon the bank. The sterile soil of the beach, 
and its overhanging bluff, which was varied only by 
an occasional clump of cedars and a patch of prickly 
pears, with now and then a tall palmetto, that stood 
as a gigantic sentry over its pigmy companions, was 
; exchanged, as they receded from the coast, first for 
i a thick undergrowth of low shrubs and a small 
! variety of oak, then for trees still larger, which 
■ were often covered with vines, whose pendant 
i branches were loaded with clusters of purple grapes. 

I At about the middle of the island the surface made 
' a sudden ascent, assuming that peculiar character 
' known as hummock,’^ and which, to unpracticed 
eyes, looks like a swamp upon an elevated ridge. 

Before leaving the beach the boys had quenched 
their thirst at a spring of cool, fresh water, found 
by digging in the sand at high-water mark ; but now 
the clusters of grapes were too tempting to be re- 
sisted. They seated themselves under a heavy can- 
opy of vines, and ate their frugal dinner in sight of a 
luscious dessert, hanging all around and above them. 

Eesuming their journey to the east, they proceeded 
about a mile farther, when Mum, who had trotted 
along with quite a philosophic air, as if knowing that 


116 


THE YOUNG MAROONERS 


his masters were engaged in something else than 
hunting, was seen to dash forward a few steps, smell 
here and there intently, and then with a growl of 
warning come beside his masters for protection. 

‘‘ That is a panther. I’ll warrant,” said Robert. 
‘ ^ At least Mum acted exactly in that way the other 
daj^ when I put him upon the panther’s track. Had 
we not better avoid it ? ” 

By no means,” replied Harold. Let us see 
what the creature is. We are on an exploring tour, 
you know, and that includes animals as well as land 
and trees. A panther is a cowardly animal, unless 
it has very greatly the advantage; and if you could 
conquer one with a single load of duck-shot when 
alone and surprised, surely we two can manage an- 
other. ’ ’ 

‘‘‘ Yes,” said Robert, but, I assure you, my suc- 
cess was more from accident than skill ; and I would 
rather not try it again. However, it will do no harm 
to push on cautiously, and see what sort of neighbors 
we have. ’ ’ 

They patted their dog, and gave him a word of 
encouragement. The brave fellow looked up, as if 
to remonstrate against the dangerous undertaking, 
but, on their persisting, went cheerfully upon the 
trail. He took good care, however, to move very 
slowly, and to keep but little in advance of the guns. 
The two boys walked abreast, keeping their pieces 
ready for instant use, and proceeded thus for about 
fifteen minutes, when their dog came to a sudden 
halt, bristled from head to tail, and with a fierce 


THE YOUNG MAROON ERS 


117 


growl showed his teeth; while from a thicket, not 
ten paces distant, there issued a deep grumbling 
sound, expressive of defiance and deadly hate. 
Harold stooped quickly behind the dog, and saw an 
enormous she bear, accompanied by two cubs that 
were gunning beyond her, while she turned to keep 
the pursuers at bay. 

We must be cautious, Robert,’’ said Harold; 
a bear with cubs is not to be trifled with. We 
must either let her alone, or follow at a respect- 
ful distance. What shall we do? She has a den 
somewhere near at hand, and no doubt is making 
for it.” 

Robert was not very anxious for an acquaintance 
with so rough a neighbor, but, before the fearless eye 
of his cousin, every feeling of trepidation subsided. 
The two followed, governing themselves by the cau- 
tious movements of their dog, and able to catch only 
a casual glimpse of the bear and her cubs, until they 
came within thirty paces of a tulip-tree, five feet in 
diameter, with a hollow base, into which opened a 
hole large enough to admit the fugitives. 

There, now, is the country residence of Madame 
Bruin,” said Robert, stopping at a distance to re- 
connoiter the premises. Shall we knock at her 
door, and ask how the family are ! ’ ’ 

I think not,” replied Harold; the old lady is 
rather cross sometimes, and I suspect from the tones 
of her voice she is not in the sweetest humor at 
present. Take care, Robert, she is coming! Climb 
that sapling! Quick! Quick! ” 


118 


THE YOUNG MAKOONERS 


The boys each clambered into a small tree, and 
as soon as they were well established, Harold re- 
marked, “ Now let her come, if she loves shot. A 
bear cannot climb a sapling. Her arms are too stiff 
to grasp it; she needs a tree large enough to fill her 
Img. ^ ^ 

But Madame Bruin, like the rest of her kin, was 
a peaceable old lady, not at all disposed to trouble 
those that let her alone, and on the present occasion 
she had two sweet little cherubs, whose comfort de- 
pended upon her safety; so she contented herself with 
going simply to her front door, and requesting her 
impertinent visitors to leave the premises. This re- 
quest was couched in language which, though not 
English, nor remarkably polite, was perfectly in- 
telligible. 

^ ‘ 1 suppose we shall have to go now, ^ ’ said Har- 
old; it will not be civil to keep prying into the 
old lady’s chamber. But when Sam is able to join I 
us, we can come prepared to make bacon of her and 
pets of her cubs. ’ ’ 

They called off the dog, patted him in praise of 
his well-doing, and then retreated, blazing the trees 
all the way from the tulip-tree to the river. 

Nothing more of interest occurred that day. On 
leaving the river, the explorers turned into the woods 
and kept a northerly course parallel with the shore. 
About sunset they stopped beside a large log of resin- 
ous pine, and here they determined to make their; 
encampment that night, intending to set the log on| 
fire. Around it they cleared an irregular ring, which 


THE YOUNG MAROONERS 


119 


they fired on the inner side, thus providing a place 
for sleeping free from insects, and from which fire 
could not escape into the surrounding forest. Next, 
they made themselves a tent of bushes, by bending 
down one sapling, fastening its top to the stem of 
another, and then piling against it a good supply of 
evergreens, so inclined as to allow a narrow space 
beneath. A neighboring tree supplied them with 
moss for a superb woodland mattress, and while Eob- 
ert was preparing that, Harold collected a quantity 
of pine knots, to be reserved in case their fire should 
decline. 

By the time these preparations were completed 
darkness closed around. Jupiter, at that time the 
evening star, glowed brightly from tlie western sky, 
while Orion, with his brilliant belt, gleamed cheerily 
from the east. The boys sat for some time luxuriating 
in their rest, listening to the musical roar of their fire, 
and watching the red glare which lighted up the 
somber arches of the forest; then uniting in their 
simple repast, and giving Mum his share, they 
lay down to sleep, having committed themselves to 
the care of Him who slumbers not, and who is as 
near his trustful worshipers in the forest as in the 
city. 

There is a wild pleasure in sleeping in the deep 
dark woods. The sense of solitude, the conscious- 
ness of exposure, the eternal rustle of the leafy 
canopy, or else its perfect stillness, broken only by 
the stealthy tread of some beast of night, or the 
melancholy hooting of a restless owl, give a variety 


120 


THE YOUNG MAROONERB 


wliicli is not familiar to civilized men, but wliicli, be- 
ing of a somber character, requires for its enjoyment 
a bold heart and a self-relying spirit. 

The boys retired to rest soon after supper, and 
tried to sleep ; but the novelty of th^ir circumstances 
kept them awake. They rose from their mossy couch, 
sat by the fire, and talked of their past history and 
of their future prospects. 

At last their nervous excitement passed away. 
They retired once more to bed, having their guns 
within reach, and Mum lying at their feet. The 
roar of the blaze and crackle of the wood composed 
them to sleep; and when they next awoke, daylight 
had spread far over the heavens, and the stars had 
faded from sight. They sprang lightly to their feet, 
and before the sun appeared were once more on their 
way northward, along the banks of the river. 

Their march was now slow and toilsome. In the 
interior a hummock of rich land, covered with lofty 
trees, matted with vines, and feathered with tall 
grass, impeded their progress; while near the river 
bay-galls, stretching from the water’s edge to the 
hummocks, fringed with gall-berries, myrtles and 
saw-palmettoes, and crowded internally with bays, 
tupeloes, and majestic cypresses (whose singular 
looking '' knees ” peeped above the mud and water 
like a wilderness of conical stumps), forced them to 
the interior. Their average rate of travel was 
scarcely a mile to the hour. 

Several herds of deer darted before them as they 
passed, and once, while in the hummock, where the 


THE YOUNG MAROONERS 


12 L 

growtli was very rank, the creatures were almost 
I within arm’s length. 

About noon the travelers emerged into an open 
space, which Harold pronounced to be a small prairie. 
In the act of stepping into it, he grasped the arm of 
his cousin, and drew him behind a bush, with a 
hurried, Back! back! Look yonder! ” 

! Robert gave one glance, and stepped back into con- 
I cealment as quickly as if twenty panthers were 
guarding the prairie. There stood an Indian hut. 

The boys gazed at each other in dismay; their 
hearts beat hard, and their breath grew short. Were 
I there Indians then upon the island, and so near 
them ? What might not have happened to Mary and 
Frank ? But a close scrutiny from their bushy cover 
enabled them to breathe freely. There was a. hut, 
but it was evidently untenanted; grass grew rank 
about the doorway, and the roof was falling to decay. 
The dwelling had been deserted for years. 

The boys went boldly to it, and entered. Tufts of 
grass were growing in the mud plaster of the walls. 
In the center was a grave, banked with great neat- 
ness, and protected by a beautifully arched pen of 
slender poles. At the door was a hominy-mortar, 
made of a cypress block, slightly dished, and having 
a narrow, funnel-shaped cavity in its center. Upon 
it, with one end resting in a crack of the wall, lay the 
pestle, shaped like a maul, and bearing the marks 
of use upon that end which white men would ordi- 
narily regard as the handle. Overhanging the roof 
were three peach trees, and around it the ground was 


122 


THE YOUNG MAROONERS 


covered with a profusion of gourds of all sizes, from 
such as would hold a gill to those that would con- 
tain several gallons. Beyond the house, and on the 
edge of the prairie, was a dense growth of wild 
plum trees. 

This place, said Harold, musing, must have 
belonged to some old chief. The common people do 
not live so comfortably. It is likely that he con- 
tinued here after all others of his tribe had gone; 
and when he died, his children buried him, and they 
also went away. Poor fellow! here he lies. He 
owned a beautiful island, and we are his heirs. ’ ’ 

It was now twelve o’clock, and they began to feel 
the demands of appetite. 

Finding a beautiful spring under a tupelo tree, and 
a grove of wild orange trees loaded with fruit, they ' 
dined under the shade of the orange trees, and 
afterwards plucked a fragrant dessert from the 
loaded branches. Then they filled their pockets with | 
the different varieties, and started homewards. 

It was scarcely a mile from these orange trees \ 
to the first that they had discovered; and thence only j 
three miles home. They reached the tent late in the } 
afternoon. j 

CHAPTER XVI 

PLANS — VISIT TO THE PRAIRIE — DISCOVERIES — SHOE- 
MAKING— WATERFOWL. 

The severe exercise of the two preceding days 
was more than Harold’s ankle, in its state of par- 


THE YOUNG MAROONERS 


123 


tial recovery, could endure without injury. For sev- 
eral days afterwards he was compelled to avoid all 
unnecessary labor, and to relieve his pain by fre- 
quent applications of cold water. 

Sam^s wounded limbs were rapidly regaining 
strength, and he insisted that they were well enough 
to be used; but Eobert refused to indulge him. 

We must risk nothing in the case,’’ said he. It 
is so important to have you able to help to build our 
boat, that I think you had better continue in bed one 
week too long than leave it one day too soon. You 
must be content to rest your arm for fully five weeks, 
and your leg for six or seven.” 

Mary and Frank had listened with deep interest 
to the account which the boys gave of the old In- 
dian settlement, with its open prairie, vine-covered 
forest, orange grove, and sparkling spring; and 
begged so earnestly for the privilege of accompany- 
ing them on their next visit, that they gave their 
consent. The only difficulty foreseen in the case was 
that of leaving Sam alone; but when this was made 
known to him, he removed all objection by saying, 
'' Wuddah gwine hu’t me? * Jes’ load one gun, 
and put urn by my side. I take care o’ myself.” 

The object of their visit was not one of mere en- 
joyment. They had waited for deliverance until they 
were convinced that it was vain to rely upon any- 
thing except their own exertions. It was now 
between five and six weeks since they had landed 
upon the island. There had been some strange fatal- 

* What is going to hurt me ? 


124 


THE YOUNG MAROONERS 


i 


ity attending all the efforts that they were sure had ; 
been made on their behalf, and now they must try to 
help themselves. 

The exploration had resulted in the discovery of 
beautiful timber, of every size, fit for boats, and 
near the water’s edge. They well knew it would be i 
a herculean task for persons of their age, and pos- i 
sessed of so few tools, to dig out, from anyone of 
these trees, a boat large enough to carry them all 
home; but they were compelled to do this, or to re- , 
main where they were. Having consulted with Sam 
upon whose judgment in matters of work they relied 
far more than on their own, they resolved not to 
build one large boat, but two of moderate dimensions, 
which might, if necessary, be lashed firmly together. 
For this purpose they decided to select near the water 
two cypresses about three feet in diameter, which 
should be felled as soon as possible. Their visit to 
the prairie was for the purpose of selecting these 
trees, in the low ground near the river. 

The four set out in fine spirits early on the morn- 
ing of Tuesday, November 30th, and walked directly 
to the Indian hut. Notwithstanding the gloomy as- 
sociation of the solitary grave inside the deserted 
house, Mary and Frank were captivated with the 
wild beauty of the scene. The soft green grass of the 
prairie— the magnificent wall of forest trees enclos- 
ing the peaceful plain— the peach trees over the 
hut— the oranges and the limes glancing through 
their dark green leaves— and the bright bubbling 
spring that flowed so singularly from its living curb 


THE YOUNG MAROONERS 


125 


—all combined to enchant them. It was so delightful 
a contrast to the bare and sterile sand of their pres- 
ent encampment, that they pleaded at once for a re- 
moval there. This, of course, had occurred to the 
minds of the others also ; but there were two serious 
objections to it. One was that here they would be 
out of sight of vessels passing at sea; and the other 
was that here they should be more in danger from 
wild beasts. They replied that they also preferred 
the prairie, but that they could not remove until Sam 
was better able to travel. 

After the visit to the hut, Harold and Frank, fol- 
lowed by Fidelle, went in one direction, while Robert 
and Mary, with Mum, went in another, to look for 
trees suitable in size and location for their boats. 

In the course of their search they made several 
additions to their knowledge of the resources of the 
island. Harold had discovered a fine patch of coon- 
tie or arrowroot, from which a beautiful flour can 
be manufactured ; and hard by a multitude of plants 
having large bulbous roots and soft velvety leaves 
three feet in diameter. This plant Robert pro- 
nounced to be the tanyali^ a vegetable whose taste 
is somewhat like that of a mealy potato. The other 
company went to the river, where Robert discov- 
ered an old boat-landing, on one side of which was 
a large oyster bank, and on the other a deep eddy 
of the stream, in which trout and other fish were 
leaping about a fallen tree. Mary's discovery was 
more pleasant than useful. It was a bed of the frag- 
rant calamus or sweet flag, from which she gathered 


126 


THE YOUNG MAROONEKS 


a liaudful of roots, and, washing tliem clean, brought 
them as a present to the others. Frank was quite 
chagrined that he had discovered nothing new. 

After spending a delightful day, they returned 
about sunset to the tent, having marked a number 
of suitable trees. Saints white teeth glistened when 
they approached the door. It had been a lonely day 
with him. 

From this time forth the boys had before their 
minds one fixed object— the felling of the best two 
of the trees marked, and converting them into boats. 

But what should be their plan of procedure 
while engaged in the work? They could go every 
morning, and return every evening— a distance alto- 
gether of eight miles; or they could spend several 
nights in succession at the prairie, leaving Frank and 
Mary with Sam ; or they could remove everything to 
the place of their labor. As to the first two of these 
plans, it was so manifestly improper to leave the two 
younger ones for hours and days together, in a wild 
country, infested with wild beasts, and unprotected, 
except by a lame negro, who was unable to protect 
himself, that they did not entertain them for a mo- 
ment. It was finally resolved to delay their regular 
operations until the next week, by which time they 
hoped to be able, partly by water and partly by land, 
to transport everything, and take up their perma- 
nent abode at the prairie. 

Beaching this conclusion, they set about those little 
joreparations which they could foresee as being 
necessary to an undivided use of their time after 


THE YOUNG MAHOONERS 


127 


entering upon their work. Their clothes, and par- 
ticularly their shoes, began to give signs of decay, 
h rank ’s shoes had for some time been gaping at the 
toes, looking for all the world, Sam said, as if they 
were laughing. 

Harold, foreseeing the necessity before it occurred, 
had put in soak some deer-skins, wrapped up in lime 
made from burnt oyster shells; and after removing 
the hair loosened by this means, had stretched the 
skins in the sun, and softened them by frequent ap- 
plications of fat. The skins were now ready for use; 
and as soon as it was determined to delay their re- 
moval to the prairie, Harold brought one of them 
to the tent, and calling to Frank, said, 

' ‘ Lend me your foot a minute. Master Frank, and 
I will give you a pair of moccasins. I am going to 
turn shoemaker, and make you a pair of Indian 
shoes. I need a pair myself.’’ 

'' And so do I— and I! ” echoed Kobert and Mary. 

Indeed, at this rate,” said Harold, we may 
as well all turn shoemakers, and fit ourselves out in 
Indian style. ’ ’ 

Harold planted Frank’s foot upon the leather, 
which he drew^ up close around it, and marked at the 
heel, toe, and instep. He then cut it according to the 
measure, and there being but one short seam at the 
heel, and another from the toe to the instep, the sew- 
ing was soon finished. Frank tried the moccasin on, 
and for a first attempt the fit was very good. The fel- 
low to this, was barely completed, before two reports 
of Eobert’s gun, following in quick succession, were 


128 


THE YOUNG MAROONERS 


heard. Fidelle pricked up her ears, and Harold, re- \ 
calling vividly the panther scene, gave her the word ; 
to hie on,’’ and, seizing his own gun, followed 
rapidly along the shore. He had not proceeded far 
before a turn in the bluff revealed the figure of Eob- ^ 
ert, moving about the beach, and throwing at some- j 
tiling in the water. He saw, too, that when Fidelle ) 
came up, Robert patted her, and on his pointing to j 
the river, she plunged in and brought out a dark- j 
looking object, which she laid on a pile already at | 
his feet. Arriving at the spot, Harold saw six water- ? 
fowl, between the size of a duck and a goose, of a i 
kind entirely new to him, and which Robert informed | 
him were brant. 

0 Harold! ” Robert exclaimed, “ the shore Ij 
was lined with them. I crept behind the blutf and / 
killed four at my first shot, and three at my second, / 
though one of them fell into tlie marsh and is lost. ! 
A little farther up was a large flock of mallards, feed- ■ 
ing upon the acorns of the live oak. I could have ^ 
killed even more of them than of these, but I pre- ^ 
f erred the brant. ’ ’ 

‘‘ You startled me,” said Harold; I did not know J 
you had left the tent, until I heard your gun, and ^ 
then, fearing you had got into another panther " 
scrape, I dispatched Fidelle to your aid. ’ ’ J 

'' She was exactly what I wanted, though I am 3 
thankful to say for a pleasanter purpose. See how 1 
fat these birds are ! ” ^ 

They gathered up the game, and returned to the| 
tent. All were rejoiced at the new variety of; 


THE YOL.N’H MAHOONEKvS 


129 


provisions, for they had began to weary of the 
old. 

For two days they were occupied with their new 
art of shoemaking; and so expert did they become, 
that Harold said he doubted whether old Torgah 
himself could make much better moccasins than those 
which they manufactured. There was one improve- 
ment, however, which they made upon the usual In- 
dian style— a stout sole, made of several thicknesses 
of the firmest part of the leather, as a defense against 
thorns. 


CHAPTER XVII 

REMOVAL TO THE PRAIRIE — XIGHT ROBBERY — FOLD — 
DANGEROUS TRAP — MYSTERIOUS SIGNALS— BITTER 
DISAPPOINTMENT. 

On Monday morning, the wind blew so favorably 
up the river, that even before the tide began to rise, 
the marooners had loaded their raft, prepared a rude 
sail, and were ready to start. The raft which had 
been constructed for the purpose of rescuing Sam, 
had been originally so small, and the logs were now 
so thoroughly soaked with water, that, to make it 
carry what they wished, they were compelled to add 
to its dimensions. But this did not detain them long, 
and after all was completed, and the baggage put 
on, Sam, by the help of Harold ^s crutches, hobbled 
to the beach, and seated himself at the helm, while 
Harold took the oars; and Robert, Mary and Frank, 
9 


130 


TilEYOUXd MAKOONEiiS 


following their well-marked path through the woods, 
met them at the orapge landing. 

The passage by water occupied nearly three hours; 
and when the clumsy float slowly approached the 
shore, Harold could see through the narrow strip of 
woodland, that Eobert had felled two palmettoes on 
the edge of the other river, and was now engaged in 
cutting them up. 

^ ‘ Can it be, Eobert, ’ ’ he asked, on landing, ‘ ^ that 
some bird of the air has carried to you the message 
I wanted to send? Are you not preparing another 
raft? ’’ 

I am,” he replied. It occurred to me that, 
if we could complete this raft by the turn of the 
tide, we might take the load to the prairie landing, 
and yours might be floated back to the old encamp- 
ment for another cargo.” 

The idea was so valuable, that the boys scarcely 
allowed themselves time to eat or to rest until it was 
carried into effect; and when at last the tide was seen 
moving towards the sea, they separated, Eobert, 
Mary, and Sam going to the prairie landing, where 
they soon had the tent spread, and a fire burning; and 
Harold and Frank, floating back to the place of their 
former residence, where they made fast the raft, and, 
taking Nanny, the kids, and the fawn, returned over- 
land to join the company at the new home. 

For several days they were occupied with the 
labor of transporting their baggage, and fitting up 
their new abode with comforts and conveniences. 
The tent was not established at the landing where it 


THE YOUNG MAROONEHS 


131 


I was pitched the first night, but on the edge of the 
I prairie, a furlong distant, and within a stone ^s throw 
of the spring. 

On the third night after their removal, they ex- 
perienced a loss which caused them to feel both sad 
and anxious. Nanny and her kids, having no place 
provided for them, had selected a nice retreat under 
the shelter of a mossy oak, and made that their loung- 
ing place by day, and their sleeping place by night. 
At the time referred to the boys had just retired to 
' bed, when they heard one of the kids bleating pit- 
eously, and its cry followed by the tramp of the 
others running to the tent for protection. Harold 
and Eobert sprang to their guns, and, calling the 
dogs, seized each a burning brand, and hurried in 
the direction of the kid, whose wail of pain and fear 
became every moment more faint, until it was lost 
in the distance. The depredator was without doubt 
a panther. Such a circumstance was calculated to 
dishearten the boys exceedingly; for it forewarned 
them that not only were they likely to lose all their 
pets, but that there was no safety to themselves, and 
particularly none to Frank, if he should incautiously 
straggle into a panther ^s way. They called Nanny 
to a spot near the tent, fastened her by the dog^s 
chain to a bush, threw a supply of wood on the fire 
sufficient to burn for some hours, and retired to bed 
sad and uneasy. Returning from their unsuccessful 
sally, Harold significantly shook his head, and said, 
I will be ready for him before he has time to be 
hungry again. 


132 


THE YOUNG MAKOONERS 


There was no other disturbance that night. In the 
morning after breakfast Harold said, 

Eobert, we must make a picket fence for the 
protection of these poor brutes. But as I have a 
particular reason for wishing some fresh venison 
before night, I want to an^ange matters so that either 
you or I shall go out early enough to be sure of ob- 
taining it.^’ 

Eobert urged him to go at once; but, disliking 
the appearance of avoiding labor, Harold preferred 
to remain and aid in the most laborious part of the 
proposed work. The palisade was made of strong 
stakes, eight or ten feet long, sharpened at one end, 
and driven into a narrow trench, which marked the 
dimensions of the enclosure. Harold assisted to cut 
and transport to the spot the requisite number of 
stakes; and shortly after noon took Frank as his com- 
panion, and left Eobert and Sam to complete the 
work. He had not been gone more than an hour and 
a half, before Eobert heard the distant report of a 
heavily loaded gup, in the direction of the spot where 
the brant and ducks had been shot. 

Eh! eh! said Sam, Mas Harrol load he gun 
mighty hebby for ducks! 

Yes,^^ said Eobert, and he has chosen a very 
poor weapon for ducks! 

The workmen were too intently engaged to reflect 
that the report which they had heard could not have 
proceeded from a rifle. In the course of half an hour 
another report, but of a sharper sound, was heard 
much nearer, and appearing to proceed from the 


THE YOUNG MAROONERS 


133 


neigliborliood of the orange trees, on the tongue of 
land. Eobert now looked inquiringly at Sam, and 
was about to remark, That gun cannot be Har- 
old’s— it has not the crack of a rifle; ” but the 
doubt was only momentary, and soon passed away. 
Long afterwards the familiar sound of Harold’s 
piece was beard in the west, and a little before sun- 
set Harold and Frank appeared, bearing a fat ^mung 
deer between them. 

That looks nice; but you have been unfortunate, 
Harold,” said Eobert, who, having finisbed the pen, 
and introduced into it Nanny with her kid and the 
fawn, bad sat down to rest, and was wiping bis 
brows. 

^ ^ Why so ? ” asked Harold. 

‘ ^ In getting no more. ’ ’ 

Harold looked surprised, but, considering the re- 
mark as a sort of compliment to bis general char- 
acter, replied, 

^ ^ 0, that must be expected sometimes. But come, 
Eobert, if you are not too weary, I shall be glad of 
your assistance in a little work before dark. I wish 
to post up a notice here, that night robbers bad better 
keep away.” 

By their united efforts they succeeded in construct- 
ing a very simple though dangerous trap, which Har- 
old said be hoped would give them a dead panther 
before morning. He laid Eiley’s rifle upon two 
forked stakes, about a foot from the ground, and 
fastened it so that any movement forwards would 
bring the trigger against an immovable pin, and 


THE YOITNO MAliOONERS 


l:;4 

spring it. He tlien tied a tempting piece of venison 
to a small pole, which was bound to the rifle in a 
range witli the course of the ball. And to make as- 
surance doubly sure, he drove down a number of 
stakes around the bait, so that nothing could take 
hold of it, except in such direction as to receive the 
load from the gun. 

Now,^’ said he, after having tried the working 
of the rifle, by charging it simply with powder, and 
pulling at the pole, as he supposed a wild* beast 
would pull at the bait, then loading it with ball and 
setting it ready for deadly use — Now, if there is 
in these woods a panther that is weary of life, I ad- 
vise him to visit this place to-night.’’ 

The dogs were tied up, and the work was done. 
So long as the boys were engaged in making and 
setting their trap their minds were absorbed in its 
details, and they conversed about nothing else. But 
when that was finished, Harold referred to Kobert ’s 
remark about his hunting, and said, ‘ ‘ I was unfortu- 
nate, it is true, but it was only in going to the wrong 
place ; for I got all that I shot at. But what success 
had you, for I heard your gun also.” 

My gun! ” responded Bobert, no indeed. I 
heard two guns up the river, and supposed you were 
trying your skill in shooting ducks with a rifle. ’ ’ 
Harold stopped, and stared at him in the dim twi- 
light. Not your gun did you say? Then did Sam 
go out? ” 

No. He was working steadily with me, until 
a few minutes before you returned. ’ ’ 


Tliy YOUNG MAROON EttS 


136 


The boys exchanged with each other looks of 
anxiety. ‘ ‘ Did you hear any gun in reply to mine ? ’ ’ 
Harold asked. Robert replied that he had not. 

Then/' said Harold, in a voice tremulous with 
emotion, I am afraid that our worst trouble is 
to come; for either there are Indians on the island, 
or our friends have come for us, and we have left no 
notice on our flagstatf to tell them where we are. ' ' 

Robert wrung his hands in agony. 0, what an 
oversight again ! when we had resolved so faithfully 
to give every signal we could devise. I'll get my 
gun ! It may not be too late for an answer. ' ' 

He ran with great agitation into the tent, and 
brought out his gun, hut hesitated. What if the 
guns we heard were tired by enemies, instead of 
friends! " 

In that case," replied Harold, we must run 
our risk. If those were Indian guns, it will be vain 
to attempt concealment. They have already seen our 
traces; and if they are bent on mischief, we shall feel 
it. Let us give the signal. ' ' 

They tired gun after gun, charging with powder 
only; but no sound except echoes returned. The 
person who tired those mysterious guns had either 
left the island, or was indisposed to reply. 

Many were the speculations they now interchanged 
upon the subject, and gravely did the two elder boys 
hint to each other, in language intelligible only to 
themselves, that there was now more to fear than to 
hope. They ate their supper in silence, and Mary 
and Frank went sorrowfully to bed. Robert, Harold 


THE YOUNH MAKUO.NEKS 




and Sam sat up late, after the lights were ex- 
tinguished, watching for the dreaded approach of 
Indians, and devising various plans in case of attack. 
At last they also retired, taking turns to keep guard 
during the whole night. All was quiet until near 
morning; when, in the midst of Sam’s watch, they 
were aroused by hearing near at hand the sharp re- 
port of a rifle. In an instant the excited boys were 
on their feet, and standing beside their sentry, guns 
in hand, prepared to repel what they supposed to be 
an Indian attack. But Sam sung out in gleeful tone: 

No Injin! no Injin! but de trap. Only yerry how 
he growl ! I tell you he got de lead ! ’ ’ 

The boys hastily kindled a torch, loosed the dogs, 
ran to the trap, and found, not a panther indeed, but 
a large wildcat, rolling and growling in mortal 
agony. The dogs sprang fiercely upon it, and in less 
than two minutes it lay silent and motionless. The 
boys took it up. It was nearly as large as Mum, 
being quite as tall, though not so heavy. Before they 
had ceased their examination the gray streak of 
dawn gleamed above the eastern woods, and instead 
of retiring to rest again, as their weariness strongly 
prompted, they prepared for the duties of the open- 
ing day. 

These duties appeared to be so contradictory, that 
they scarcely knew what plan to pursue. It was 
clear that one or more of them should go without 
delay to the coast, to ascertain whether their friends 
were or had been there. But who should go, and who 
should stay? If there were Indians abroad, it would 




THE YOUNG MAROONERS 


137 


j be dangerous to divide their little force; and yet all 
could not go, for Sam was lame. Harold offered to 
go alone; but the others, burning with the hope that 
their father might yet be on the island, or within 
sight, insisted on bearing him company. Sam also 
helped to settle the question, by saying. 

Go, Mas Robbut, and little Missus, and Mas 
Frank; go all o’ you. Don’t be ’fraid for me; s’pose 
In jin come, he nebber trouble nigger.” 

This remark was based upon the well-known fact 
that Indians seldom interfere with negroes. And en- 
couraged thus to leave him a second time alone, the 
- young people resolved to go in a bodj’^ to the coast; 
agreeing with him, however, that if he saw any 
danger he should give them timely warning by set- 
ting on fire a fallen pine-top. 

Carrying what arms they could, and sending their 
dogs on either side as scouts, they walked swiftly 
along their well-known path to the seacoast. No acci- 
dent happened, no sign of danger appeared; every- 
thing was as usual on the way, and at the place of 
their old encampment. But scarcely had they 
reached the oak, before Harold, pointing to the earth, 
softened by a rain two nights before, cried out. 

Look here, Robert! The tracks of two persons 
wearing shoes ! ’ ’ 

Robert ’s unpractised eye would never have de- 
tected the signs which Harold’s Indian tuition en- 
abled him so readily to discover; he could scarcely 
distinguish, after the closest scrutiny, more than the 
deep indentation of a boot-heel. But that was 


1:^8 


THE YOUNG MAROON EKS 


enough; a boot-lieei proved the presence of a boot, 
and a hoot proved tlie presence of a white man. That 
one fact relieved them from all apprehension that 
the visitors were Indians. 

They fired their guns, to attract if possible the at- 
tention of the strangers; giving volley after volley, in 
repeated succession, and scanning the coast in every 
direction; but it was without the desired result— the 
persons were gone. The dogs had by this time gone 
to a spot near the bluff, where there had been a fire, 
and were engaged in eating what the boys, on inspec- 
tion, discovered to be a ham-bone and crusts of bread. 
On descending the bluff, they found foot-prints 
sharply defined, and Kobert exclaimed, 

^ ^ Here is William ’s track ! I know it— I know it is 
William’s! ” 

The others examined it, and asked how he knew it 
was William’s. 

‘ ‘ I know it, ’ ’ said he, ^ ‘ by that W. When father 
gave him that pair of thick boots for bad weather, 
AVilliam drove a great many tacks into the sole; and 
when I asked him why he did so, he said it was to 
make them last longer, and also that he might know 
them again if they should be stolen; for there was his 
name. In the middle of one sole he drove nine tacks, 
making that W, and in the other he drove seven, so 
as to make an H; for he said his name was William 
Harper. Yes, look here, ’ ’ pointing to the other track, 
‘ ‘ here is the H, too. ’ ’ 

There was now not the shadow of a doubt that the 
track thus ingeniously identified was William’s. 


THE YOUNG MAROON ERS 


130 


Then whose was that other, formed by a light, well- 
shaped boot? Every heart responded. The elder 
boys looked on with agitated faces ; Mary and Frank 
burst into tears. 

But he was gone now— though he had been so 
near— gone without a word, or a sign, to say that 
he was coming back. Gone? Perhaps not. Per- 
haps a smoke might recall him, if the guns did not. 
Harold silently ascended the bluff, and with one of 
Frank’s matches fired the grass placed beneath the 
heap of wood near the flagstaff. The smoke rose: 
it attracted the attention of the others, and soon they 
heard Harold cab from a distance, Come here, all 
of you ! Here is something more. ’ ’ 

They ran together, Robert and Mary taking each 
a hand of Frank; and when they reached the flag- 
staff, they saw a paper fastened to it by wooden pins 
driven into the bark, and on the' paper, written in 
large round characters : 

Fim Thousand Dollars Reward 

Will be cheerfully paid to any one who shall restore 
to me in safety a boat’s company, lost from Tampa 
Bay on the 26th of October last. They were dragged 
to sea by a devil fish, and, when last seen, were near 
this island. The company consisted of my nephew, 
Harold McIntosh, aged nearly fifteen, having black 
hair and eyes ; and my three children, Robert Gordon, 
aged fourteen; Mary Gordon, aged eleven; and Frank 
Gordon, aged seven years; all having light hair and 
blue eyes. 

‘ The above reward will be paid for the aforesaid 
company, with their boat and boat’s furniture; or 


140 


THE YOUNG MAROONERS 


one thousand dollars for any one of the persons, or 
for such information as shall enable me to know cer- 
tainly what has become of them. 

Information may be sent to me at Tampa, care of 
the commanding officer. Fort Brooke. 

‘‘Charles Gordon, M.D. 

“ Dec, 9, 1830.’^ 

Underneath was the following postscript in pencil : 

“ P. S. The aforesaid company have evidently 
been upon this island within ten days past. I have 
searched the coast and country here in almost every 
direction. They appear to have left, and I trust for 
home. Should any fatality attend their voyage, they 
will probably be heard of between this island and 
Tampa. C. G. ’ ^ 

The young people were overwhelmed. “ Poor 
father! Mary said with a choking voice, “ how 
disappointed he will be when he reaches home, and 
finds that we are not there! And poor mother! If 
she is there, I know it will almost kill her.’’ 

“ But father will come again— he will come right 
back— I know he will,” Frank murmured resolutely 
through his tears. 

“ Yes, if mother is not too sick to be left,” con- 
jectured Mary. 

“ Come, children,” said Kobert, with an air of 
desperate resolve, “it is of no use to stand here 
idle. Let us go back to the prairie, and build our 
boats.” 

“ But not before we have left word on the flag- 


THE YOUNG MAROONEKS 


141 


staff to tell where we are to be found/ ^ Harold added. 
A bitter smile played round the corners of Kobert’s 
mouth, as, muttering something about ' ‘ locking the 
door after the steed is stolen,'^ he took out his pencil, 
and wrote in deep black letters, 

'' The lost company, together with Sam, a servant, 
are to be found at a small prairie three or four miles 
southeast from this point. We have lost our boat, 
and are building another. 

“ Robert Gordon. 

Dec. 10, 1830.’’ 

CHAPTER XVIII 

TURKEY IN TRAP— MARY’S ADVENTURE WITH A BEAR 
— NOVEL DEFENSE— PROTECTING THE TENT. 

It was natural that the youthful company should 
be much cast down by this misfortune. But past ex- 
perience had taught them some valuable lessons, and 
among others that sorrow is never bettered by mop- 
ing. Let us not neglect our turkey-pen because 
we have been unfortunate,” said Harold on their 
way home. It is now three days since w’e have 
been there, and if.it has caught a turkey, the poor 
creature may be perishing for want of food. ’ ’ 

They turned aside accordingly, and found within 
the trap a fine young hen in a half-famished condi- 
tion. She scarcely noticed them until they were 
within a few paces of her, and then ran with feeble 
steps round the pen, twitting mournfully, but with- 


142 


THE YOUNG MAROONERS 


out strength to fly. Eobert proposed to let her go, 
saying that there would be no use in carrjdng home 
a starved bird; but to this Mary objected. She was 
beginning to believe with Harold that they were 
destined to stay a long time on the island. I 
think, ’ ^ said she, ^ ^ we had better take her home, and 
make a coop for her, and let her be the beginning 
of a stock of poultry. We can get some ducks, too, 
I have no doubt, and that will be so nice.’’ 

The picture which she drew was so comfortable 
and pleasant, that they agreed to put it into instant 
execution. They would make for her not a coop 
merely, but a poultry yard and house, and stock it 
for her with turkeys, ducks, and brant; and she and 
Frank should feed them on acorns and chopped 
venison, and then the marooners party would live 
like princes. The only particular difficulty that sug- 
gested itself in the case was, that wild turkeys can- 
not be tamed. There is such an innate love of free- 
dom in their very blood, that even those which are 
raised from the egg by tame hens will soon forsake 
the yard for the forest. 

These pleasant little plans (for after all it is little 
things that make life pleasant or unpleasant) occu- 
pied their minds, and soon employed their hands; for 
immediately on their return home they began the con- 
struction of Mary’s poultry house, and marked out 
also the limits of the adjoining yard. This occupied 
them for the two remaining days of that week, and it 
was not until the Monday following that they began 
working upon their boats. 


THE YOUNG MAROONERS 


143 


In the midst of that week, however, another in- 
cident occurred, which threatened to be fearful 
enough in its consequences, and caused another in- 
terruption to their work. Eohert, Harold, and Sam, 
were engaged upon the felled tree; Mary was prepar- 
ing their dinner, and Frank, having found a large 
beetle, was employed in driving sticks into the 
ground, on the plan of the picket fence, making,’’ 
as he said, ‘ ^ a house for his turkey. ’ ’ He had begun 
to feel hungry; and as the odor of the broiling veni- 
son floated to his olfactories, he suddenly became 
ravenous. He left his beetle half penned, and was 
on his way to ask his sister for a mouthful or two 
before dinner, when directly behind the tent he saw 
a great black object approaching the spot where 
Mary stood. 

He looked a moment, uncertain what it could be, 
then gave a scream. Run, sister! run! ” he said. 

Come here! Look! look! ” She looked, but saw 
nothing, for the tent intervened. As Frank said 

run! ” he set the example, and reaching a small 
tree about six inches in diameter, climbed it as 
nimbly as a squirrel, crying as he did so, Come 
here ! Come here ! ’ ’ 

Mary w^as astonished. She was sure from the 
tones of his voice that he was in earnest, yet she 
saw no danger, and hesitated what to do. Seeing 
him, however, climb the tree, she was about to follow, 
when in a moment it was too late. An enormous bear 
came from behind the tent, snuffing the odor of the 
meat, and looking very hungry. Almost as soon as 


144 


T^HE YOUNG MAKOONEKS 


it discovered her, it rose upon its hind legs, seeming 
surprised to meet a human being, and came forward 
with a heavy growl. Had any one been present to 
help, Mary would probably have screamed and 
fainted; but, thrown upon her own resources, she ran 
to the fire and seized a burning brand. Then another 
and very fortunate thought came to her mind. Tlie 
dipper, or water ladle, was in her hand; and as she 
drew the brand from the fire, she also dipped a ladle- 
ful of boiling, greasy water, and tlirew it into tlie ; 
breast and upon the fore paws of the growling beast. : 

That expedient saved her life. The bear instantly * 
dropped upon all fours, and began most piteously to 
whine and lick its scalded paws. Mary, seeing the 
success of her experiment, dipped another ladleful 
and threw it into its face. The bear now uttered a 
yell of pain, and, turning upon its liind legs, ran 
galloping past the tent, as if expecting every mo- 
ment to feel another supply of the hot stuff upon its 
back. 

All this time Frank was calling from his tree, . 

Come here, sister! He can’t get you here! Come! 
come! ” And Mary was about to go; but the bear 
was no sooner out of sight, than she felt very sick. ’ 
Beckoning to Frank to come to her, she ran towards 
the tent, intending to fire off one of the guns as a ’ 
signal for the large boys to return; but ere reaching 
the door her sight failed, her brain reeled, and she 
fell prostrate upon the earth. Frank looked all 
round, and seeing that tlie bear was clean gone,” i 
sprang lightly from the tree, and ran to her assist- ^ 

I 


THE YOUNG MAKOONERS 


145 


ance. He had once before seen her in a fainting fit, 
and, recollecting that on that occasion Robert had 
poured water upon her face, and set him to fanning 
her and chafing her temples and the palms of her 
hands, he first poured a dipperful of cold water on 
her face, and then seizing the conch, blew the signal 
of alaiin, till the w'oods rang again. 

This soon brought the others. Harold came rush- 
ing into the tent, and by the time that Robert arrived, 
he had loosened Mary’s dress, and was rubbing her 
hands and wrists, while Frank fanned her, and told 
the tale of her fighting the bear with hot water. The 
boys were greatly excited. Harold’s eye turned con- 
tinually to the woods, and he called Mum, and patted 
him with one hand, while he helped Mary with the 
other. 

Let me attend to her now,” said Robert. I 
see by your eye that you wish to go. But if you will 
only wait a minute, I think sister will be well enough 
for me to go with you. ’ ’ 

I am well enough now,” she faintly replied. 
You need not stay on my account. Do kill him. 
He can’t be far away.” 

But will you not be afraid to have us leave 
you? ” asked Robert. 

No, no; not if you go to kill that terrible crea- 
ture. Do go, before he gets away. ’ ’ 

Sam had in the meantime hobbled in, and the 
boys needed no other encouragement. Frank showed 
them the direction taken by the bear, and they set 
out instantly in pursuit. Mum had already been 


10 


146 


THE YOUNG MAEOONERS 


smelling around, and exhibiting signs of excitement. 
Now lie started off on a brisk trot. The hunters fol- 
lowed him to a moist, mossy place, where the bear 
appeared to have rolled on the damp ground to 
alleviate his pain; then to another low place, where 
the dog showed by his increasing excitement that the 
game was near at hand. Indeed, they could hear 
every minute a half whine, half growl, which proved 
that the troubled beast was there in great pain, and 
conscious of their approach. But it did not long re- 
main where it was. Seeming to know that it had 
brought upon itself a terrible retribution by attack- 
ing the quiet settlement, it broke from the cover, and 
ran to a large oak on the edge of the neighboring 
hummock, and, when the boys arrived, they found 
it painfully climbing the tree, a few feet above 
ground. Its huge paws convulsively grasped the 
trunk, and it made desperate efforts to ascend, as if 
confident that climbing that tree was its only refuge. 
Both boys prepared to shoot, hut Harold beckoned to 
Eobert. 

Let me try him in the ear with a rifle ball, 
while you keep your barrels readv in case he is not 
killed. 

He advanced within ten paces, rested his rifle 
deliberately against a tree, and took aim without the 
quivering of a muscle. Eobert saw him draw a 
' ‘ bead sight ’ ' on his victim, and knew that its fate 
was sealed. There was a flash, a sharp report, and 
the heavy creature fell to the earth, like a bag of 
sand, and the dark blood, oozing from ears and nose. 


THE YOUNG MAROONEKS 


147 


proved that its sufferings and its depredations were 
ended forever. 

^ ‘ He will give us plenty of fresh pork, ^ ’ said Har- 
old. What claws and teeth! I don’t wonder that 
Mary fainted ! She is a brave girl ! ’ ’ 

Yes, indeed,” replied Robert; there is not one 
girl in a thousand that could have stood her ground 
so well. And that notion of fighting with hot water 
—ha! ha! I must ask where she got it. It was 
capital. Only see here, Harold, how this fellow ’s foot 
is scalded; this is the secret of his climbing so 
badly. ’ ’ 

Mary’s hot water had done its work effectually. 
The bear was terribly scalded on its paws, breast, 
face, and back of its head. The boys bled it, as they 
did their other game, by cutting through the jugular 
vein and carotid artery; but, wishing to relieve 
Mary’s mind as soon as possible, they returned to 
inform her that her enemy was dead. 

The afternoon was spent in preparing the fiesh of 
their game. They treated it in every respect as they 
would pork, except that the animal was fiayed. The 
fatty parts were turned over to Sam, who prepared 
from them a soft and useful grease. The skin was 
stretched in the sun to dry, after which it was soaked 
in water, cleansed of all impurities, and rubbed well 
with salt and saltpeter (William had put up a quan- 
tity), and finally with the bear’s own grease. After 
it had been nicely cured, Harold made a present of 
it to Mary, who afterwards used it as a mattress so 
long as she lived upon the island. 


148 


THE YOUNG MAUOONEKS 


Warned so impressively as they had been to pro- 
tect their habitation against wild beasts, the boys 
spent the rest of the week in erecting a suitable en- 
closure. They planted a double row of stakes round 
the tent and kitchen, filling up the interstices with 
twigs and short poles. The fence was higher than 
their heads, and there was a rustic gateway so con- 
trived that at a little distance it looked like part of 
the fence itself. 

Within this enclosure Mary and Frank felt them- 
selves perfectly secure. 


CHAPTEE XIX 

! 

1 

LABOR-SAVING DEVICE — CHRISTMAS VOYAGE — BATTLE i 
WITH BEAR — THE CUBS. 

For a fortnight the boys worked very hard, and 
yet made but little progress. Days had been spent 
in hacking, with dull ax and hatchet, upon an im- 
mense tree. The log was three feet in diameter, and 
had been roughly shaped into the general form of 
a boat, eighteen feet long. But having no adze, and 
receiving from Sam little assistance except the bene- 
fit of his advice, the boys began to feel somewhat 
discouraged. This caused them to cast in their minds 
for some device by which their work might be facili- 
tated; and thankful enough were they to Indian in- 
genuity for suggesting the use of fire. They set small 
logs of pine along the intended excavation, and, 


THE YOUNCx MAROONERS 


149 


guarding the edges with clay, to prevent the fire from 
extending beyond the prescribed limits, had the satis- 
faction to see, the next morning, that the work done 
by this new agent during the night, was quite as 
great as that which they accomplished during the 
day. 

For a few days they had been working under the 
pleasing stimulation produced by this discovery, 
when Robert, pausing in the midst of his work, said, 
Harold, have you any idea what day of the 
month this is! 

No,^’ replied Harold, I know that it is Friday, 
and that we are somewhere past the middle of 
December. But why do you ask? ’’ 

Because, if I am not mistaken, to-morrow will 
be Christmas Day. This is the twenty-fourth of 
December. ’ ’ 

The announcement made Sam start. He looked 
at Robert with a half bewildered, half joyful gaze. 
The very name of Christmas brought the fire to his 
eye. 

Ki, Mas Robbut,^^ said he, you tink I re- 
member Christmas? Who ebber hear o’ nigger for- 
get Christmas befo’? But, for sure, I nebber say 
Christmas to myself once, since I been come to dis 
island. Eh! eh! I wonder if ee ent * ’cause dis Injin 
country, whey dey nebber had no Christmas at all? 
Eh! Christmas? To-morrow Christmas? ” 

Robert could have predicted the effect which his 
discovery would have upon Sam, but he was exces- 


♦ If it is not. 


150 


THE YOUNG MAROONEKS 


sively amused to observe how unforgiving he seemed 
to be to himself for neglecting this part of a negro \s 
privilege. As soon as it was settled, by a brief cal- 
culation, that the next day was indeed the twenty- 
fifth of December, another thing was settled, of 
course — that no work should be done, and that the 
day should be spent in enjoyment. Sam clapped his 
hands, and would have been guilty of some antic on 
the occasion, if his lame leg had not admonished him 
to be careful. So he only tossed his cap into the air, 
and shouted, 

^ ^ Merry Christmas to eberybody here, at Bellevue 
and at home! 

Now comes another question,’’ said Eobert; 

how shall the day be spent? We have no neigh- 
bors to visit. No Christmas trees grow here, and 
Frank may hang up his moccasins in vain, for I 
doubt whether Santa Claus ever heard of this 
island. ’ ’ 

0 yes. Mas Eobbut,” Sam merrily interposed. 

Dere is one neighbor I been want to see for long 
time. I hear say I got a countryman libbin way 
yonder in a hollow tree. He is a black nigger, ’cept 
he is got four legs and a mighty ugly face. ’ ’ 

^ ‘ What does the fellow mean ? ’ ’ said Harold seri- 
ously. 

0,” replied Eobert, laughing, it is only his 
way of asking us to visit our friend the bear. What 
do you think of it? ” 

‘‘ We have promised to visit Madame Bruin,” 
said Harold, entering into the joke; and perhaps 


THE YOUNG MAROONERS 


151 


she may think it hard if we do not keep our word. ^ ^ 
Just then the conch called them home. But 
let us hear what Mary and Frank have to say.^’ 

When the question was discussed in general con- 
clave, Mary looked rather sober. She had not yet 
recovered wholly from her former fright; but not 
willing to interfere with a frolic, from which the 
others seemed to anticipate so much pleasure, 
although it seemed to her to be one of needless peril, 
she replied that she would consent on two condi- 
tions— one was that they should go on the raft, to 
save the very long walk to the spot, and the other was 
that they should either put her and Frank in some 
place of safety while they fought the bear, or supply 
her with an abundance of hot water. 

That idea of the raft is capital, said Robert. 

The tide will suit exactly for floating down in the 
morning and back in the afternoon. I think we can 
give sister all she asks, and the hot water too, if she 
insists upon it.’’ 

Sam’s notions about the observance of Christmas 
eve, as a part of Christmas, suited exactly the in- 
clination of the boys ; their hands were blistered, and 
they were glad of a good excuse for leaving off work. 
In anticipation of the next day’s absence, and of the 
Sabbath succeeding, Frank gathered during the 
afternoon plenty of acorns for the poultry, and grass 
for the deer and goats, which were to be kept in their 
fold. The others laid up a full supply of wood for the 
fire. Mary sliced some nice pieces of venison and 
bear’s meat, and made some bread and Christmas 


152 


THE YOUNG MAROONERS 


cakes; all wliicli she packed away in a basket, with | 
oranges, limes and a bottle of transparent honey. \ 
Long before dark everything was ready for the ex- ; 
pedition. j 

There may have been many a more noisy Christ- | 
mas, but never a brighter one, and few merrier, than | 
that which dawned upon our young marooners. j 
Sam and Frank were the first to awake. Good j 
morning, lazy folks! shouted Frank to the sleepers. 

“ Merry Christmas to you all! j 

‘‘ Merry Christmas, Mas Eobbut! Sam echoed j 
from behind, ^ ‘ Merry Christmas, Mas Harrol ! Merry S 
Christmas, little Missus ! ” \ 

‘‘ Fairly caught! answered Eobert; and now, J 
I suppose, we must look up some presents for you i 
both. ’ ^ ; 

The company soon completed their toilet, and came « 
together for breakfast. 

While the sun threw his first slanting beams 
across the island, Harold went to the landing, and i 
returned, saying, ‘‘ Come all. The tide has been 
going down for hours, and is now running like a mill- 
tail! :■ 

Hastening their preparations, they were in a short \ 
time seated upon the raft, Sam at the helm, and Eob- i 
ert and Harold by turn at the oars. Borne by the cur- < 
rent, and impelled by their own etforts, they were * 
not two hours in reaching the proposed landing- i 
place. ' 

From the landing they followed the marks left by , 
their hatchet upon the trees in their exploring tour. 


THE YOUNG MAROONERS 


163 


and it was not long before they recognized from a 
distance the tulip tree, in the hollow base of which 
the bear had made her den. 

To their disappointment the old bear was gone. 
The sun shone full into the hole, and revealed the 
two cubs alone, nicely rolled up in their lair, and 
sound asleep. There was some reason to suppose 
that the mother would return before they left the 
neighborhood, and in this expectation Harold pre- 
pared to secure the cubs. He placed Robert and Sam 
as videttes at a little distance, and also charged Mary 
aijjd Frank to keep a sharp lookout, while Mum and 
Fidelle were set to beating the surrounding bushes. 
Harold found that the work of capturing the cubs 
was very difficult. The cavity was too large to allow 
him to reach them with his arms, and he was afraid 
to trust himself inside the hole, lest the old bear 
should arrive and catch him in the act; so he relied 
upon throwing a slipnoose over their heads, or upon 
their feet; but, young as they were, he found them 
astonishingly expert in avoiding his noose. 

The plan by which he at last succeeded, was with a 
hooked pole to draw forth first one, and then the 
other, to the mouth of the den, where, after sundry 
bites and scratches, he seized their hind legs, passed 
a cord round their necks, and made it secure by a fast 
knot. This done, he tied each to a tree, where they 
growled and whined loudly for help. The hunters 
were now in momentary expectation of hearing the 
bushes burst asunder, and seeing the old bear come 
rushing upon them; but she was too far distant, and 


164 


THE YOUNG MAKOONERS 


had no suspicion of the savage robbery that was go- 
ing on at her quiet home. 

It was fully an hour before the cubs were taken 
and secured. But now arose a new and unforeseen 
difficulty. The distance to the raft was considerable, 
and the way was so tangled that they had made slow 
progress when they came; what could they now do, 
encumbered with two disorderly captives, and in con- 
stant danger of attack from the fiercest beast of the 
forest, a bear robbed of her whelps I 

The plan they at last devised was this— which, 
though appearing to assign the post of danger to 
the youngest, was in fact the safest they could adopt. 
Mary and Frank led each a cub, but they were in- 
structed to drop the cord on the first appearance of 
danger, and run to the safest point. Sam marched in 
the van; Harold brought up the rear; Mary and 
Frank were in the center, and, while Eobert guarded 
one flank, the dogs were kept as much as possible on 
the other. It was with much misgiving that this 
plan was adopted, for the boys began to feel that they 
had engaged in a foolish scrape, involving a needless 
exposure of the young people, as well as of them- 
selves. But they were now ^ ^ in for it, ’ ’ and they had 
no choice, except to go forward or to give up the pro- 
ject in disgrace. Formed in retreating column as 
described, and ready for instant battle, they turned 
their faces to the river, and marched with what haste 
they could. 

On reaching the landing they wiped their moist 
brows, and rested, thankful that they had completed 


THE YOUNG MAROONEES 


155 


tlieir perilous journey without accident. But their 
dangers were by no means over. The tide was down ; 
the raft was aground; it was not possible to leave for 
hours ; and in the meantime the enraged beast might 
follow the trace of her cubs, and perhaps assault 
them where they were. In view of this contingency 
they tied the young bears at a distance from the 
shore, but within sight of their own place of repose, 
confident that, if the mother came, she would make it 
her first care to break the bonds of her cubs, and take 
them away, in which case she could be attacked and 
destroyed. 

With this expectation they sat down to their 
Christmas dinner, for which they had by this time 
a pretty keen appetite. Sam stood sentry while they 
ate; then Eobert and Harold by turns took his post, 
and gave him opportunity to dine. The spice of 
danger gave great zest to the enjoyment of all ex- 
cept Mary, who would vastly have preferred being at 
their comparatively secure and quiet home upon the 
prairie. 

’ The tide finally rose, and floated the raft. They 
once more embarked. The young bears were secured, 
so that they could neither escape nor annoy. The 
fastening was cast off. Harold’s oar, which he used 
as a pole for shoving off, sunk in the yielding sand, 
and Robert’s '' Heigh ho for home! ” was hardly 
uttered, when they heard a tramping on the bluff, 
and a moment after saw the bear standing on the 
spot they had left. She stared in surprise at the 
retreating raft, and whined affectionately to her cubs. 


156 


THE YOUNG MAROONERS 


They whined in answer, and tried to break loose. 
Then seeing their efforts to be ineffectual, and the 
raft to be moving away, she raised such a roar as 
made every heart tremble, and with a tierce look at 
the persons on board she plunged into the water. The 
raft was by this time but ten yards from shore, and 
slowly backing into the stream. Harold’s rifle 
was quickly at his shoulder, and in a second more 
the blood spouted from tlie mouth and nose of the 
terrible beast. But the wound was not mortal, 
piercing below the eyes, and entering the nostrils 
and throat; and the bear, blowing out the blood 
by successive snorts, plunged on, and began to 
swim. 

Now, Robert! ” shouted Harold, be steady! 
Aim between her eyes ! ’ ’ 

Robert fired first one barrel, and then the other. 
The bear sunk for a moment, but rose again, stream- 
ing with gore, and roaring fearfully. Sam’s gun 
was the only remaining chance, and he used it most 
judiciously. Waiting until the bear was almost 
ready to place her feet upon the raft, he coolly leveled 
his gun, and putting the muzzle within a few inches 
of her ear, poured its contents into her brain. The 
furious creature had just time to grasp the side of 
the raft. She gave one convulsive shake, and turned 
on her side, stone dead. 

It was a desperate fight,” said Robert, draw- 
ing a long breath. 

They caught the floating carcass and tied it behind 
the raft. Then, pulling into the current, they floated 


THE YOUNG MAROONERS 


157 


rapidly liome, and reached the prairie about the 
middle of the afternoon. 

Early on Monday morning Sam added another 
apartment to the fold in which the goats and fawn 
were kept, for the accommodation of the cubs. It 
may be stated here, that the new pets had eaten 
little or nothing since they were taken. For several 
days Sam was compelled to force the food and water 
into their mouths; but, after they had acquired the 
art of feeding in a domestic way, Frank assumed 
their whole care, and was indefatigable in attending 
to their wants and their education. He taught them 
to stand on their hind feet and beg; to make a bow 
by scraping their feet, like country clowns ; and many 
a wrestling match did he have with them, in which 
for a long time he was invariably the victor. Eobert 
named them, after the twins of old. Castor and 
Pollux. 


CHAPTEE XX 

LAUNCHING THE BOATS — MORE WORK — ^ECLIPSE OF 
FEBRUARY 12tH, 1831— PREPARING FOR A VOYAGE 
— RAIN, RAIN. 

Work on the boats now went on swimmingly. By 
the end of the second week of their systematic labors 
the young shipwrights had not only finished the ex- 
cavation, but had trimmed down much of the ex- 
terior. The boats were two and a half feet wide, 
twenty inches deep, and eighteen feet long. At this 


158 


THE YOUNG MAROONERS 


stage Eobert supposed the work to be nearly done; 
but Sam shook his head, and said, Not half.’’ The 
most laborious part of the work was over, but so 
much more remained, in the way of smoothing and 
bringing into proper shape, that it was fully a fort- 
night before the boats were fit for the water. 

The two were ready for launching on the same 
day. The launching occupied four days. The boats 
were distant from the water respectively one hun- 
dred and one hundred and fifty paces. A thick forest 
had to be traversed. It was necessary to clear a 
road, build bridges, and cut down the river bank. 
Robert’s was launched on February 1st, and Har- 
old’s on February 3d. On each occasion there was a 
general rejoicing; and every person, not excepting 
Mary and Frank, fired a salute. 

But, on being launched, the boats did not float to 
please the builders. One was too heavy at the bows; 
the other leaned too much to one side. Several days 
were spent in correcting these irregularities; and 
thus closed the fifth week of shipbuilding. 

Another week was spent in making the rudders and 
a pair of oars, and fitting in the seats and masts. 

An incident worthy of note occurred about this 
time. It was the discovery, made first by Frank, 
of an interesting astronomical phenomenon. About 
a quarter before twelve o’clock he had gone to the 
water bucket beside the door for a drink of water, 
when all at once Mary heard him call out, 

'' Run here, sister, run! The sun has turned into 
a moon ! ’ ’ 



Forest g-rowth in Florida. 










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THE YOUNG MAROONERS 


159 


He had looked into the water, and seen the re- 
flected image of the sun like a crescent moon, sharply 
horned. Mary perceived at a glance that the sun was 
eclipsed. She therefore hurried with Frank to the 
landing, to inform the others of the fact. 

For a time, of course, no work was done: all were 
engaged in watching the phenomenon. It was the 
great annular eclipse of February 12th, 1831, in 
which the sun appeared at many places like a ring 
of light round the dark body of the moon. To our 
young people there appeared no ring. They were too 
far south. The sun looked as the moon does when 
two days old, and the sky and earth were very gloomy. 

The next week was spent in fitting up the sails 
and preparing the boats, so that in case of rough 
weather they could be firmly lashed together. 

Their work was now done. They had been laboring 
steadily for a month and a half, and were ready by 
Friday evening to pack up and start for home. But 
they resolved to wait till after the Sabbath and make 
the start on Monday. 


CHAPTER XXI 

VOYAGE ROUND THE ISLAND — STRANGE SIGNALS AGAIN 
— HURRICANE — NIGHT MARCH— HELPLESS VESSEL- 
MELANCHOLY FATE— ^THE RESCUE— MAROONERS’ HOS- 
PITALITY-CONCLUSION. 

Monday, however, was a very rainy day. Tuesday 
morning dawned without a cloud. Before the stars had 


160 


THE YOUNG MAKOONERS 


ceased shining all hands were called, and by the time 
the sun peeped over the eastern marsh, they pushed 
off from the landing; Harold and Sam, with Mum, 
being in one boat, and Robert, Mary and Frank, 
with Fidelle, in the other. As they rowed down the 
river, against a light wind from the southeast, the 
perfume of yellow jessamines, then in rich bloom, so 
loaded the air, that the young people snuffed up the 
delicious odor, and looked lovingly at the green 
island they were preparing to forsake. 

The voyage was made almost without incident. 
When they had passed out to sea, the voyagers were 
rejoiced to find their boats behaving as well upon 
the rough water as they had already done upon the 
smooth— dancing joyously upon the gentle swell, as 
if congratulating their young builders on the happy 
prospect of a successful voyage. The effect was tried 
of lashing the two boats together. It verified the 
expectation of their safety; they rubbed and creaked 
a good deal, and moved less rapidly than when sepa- 
rate, but they sat upon the water with a steadiness 
which no ordinary commotion could disturb. 

After they had run the sea-length of the island, 
and were now bending their course for the north 
river, Sam sung out, A sail! 

Looking northward, all saw far up the coast a 
faint speck glancing in the sunbeams; but it soon 
faded from sight, and they concluded that either 
it was a distant sea gull, or else a vessel passing to 
the north. They watched it with interest so long as 
it was visible, and then turned into the river. Had 


THE YOUNH MAKOONEliS 10 L 

they suspected what that white thing was, and that 
instead of disappearing in the increasing distance, 
it was only obscured by a little mist, as it ap- 
proached, beating against a head wind, they would 
have forsaken river, island, tent, everything, and 
sailed joyfully to meet it. 

They reached the old encampment at one o^clock, 
having made the run of twenty-six miles in six and a 
half hours. The boats behaved so well, and the 
winds, sea and sky were so inviting, that their only 
regret was, that they had not put everything aboard, 
and made a day’s voyage homewards. 

Having taken a hasty survey of their old place 
of rest and of refuge, and refreshed themselves at 
the spring, they resolved to divide their company— 
Robert’s boat to go direct to the orange landing, 
where it was to be left, while the passengers went 
by land to the tent, and prepared provisions for the 
next day; and Harold and Sam, in the meantime, to 
continue up the river, and ascertain whether there 
was not an inland passage round the island, shorter 
and easier than the route by sea. With this under- 
standing they sailed together to Duck Point, where 
Robert turned into the Creek, and, putting Mary at 
the helm, rowed until they came to the orange land- 
ing, and there moored the boat beside the old raft. 
They reached the tent long before sunset, and having 
completed the necessary preparations about dark, 
began to wish for the return of the others. Several 
times Robert went to the landing to look for them be- 
fore daylight had entirely ceased; and after sunset 
11 


162 


THE YOUNG MAltOONEHS 


lie went again by the light of the moon. He was be- 
coming nneasy, when he heard the mellow sounds of 
a boat song; the notes grew more and more distinct; 
the thump of the oars began to be heard keeping 
time to the music; finally, the song ceased; a clatter 
was heard as the oars were laid in the boat ; and soon 
the whole company were together once more, enjoy- ’ 
ing the last supper of which they expected to par- I 
take on the island. | 

While they were engaged in laying plans for the j 
morrow, Sam came in to say that he was afraid the j 
next day also would see them on the island, for never j 
in his life had he seen clouds gather so rapidly, or ] 
fly so fast. The little company went out, and saw [ 
a multitude of low^ scudding clouds passing with 
rapidity over the face of the moon. Suddenly all ! 
started, and looked inquisitively into one another’s * 
faces, for, at that moment the sound of a cannon, ! 
within five miles, came booming from the coast. 
Eobert and Mary turned red and pale by turns. , 
Frank clapped his hands, exclaiming, It is father! ■ 
0, I know it is father! ” Harold folded his arms— 
he had evidently acquired something of the com- / 
posure of the Indian. 1 

Quick! quick! let us answer it! ” cried Eobert, i 
and with the word darted away to the tree where | 
the powder was kept. While he was gone there V 
came another report. They loaded expeditiously, ? 
and in a moment afterwards the dark woods were i 
illuminated with the flash of their discharge. | 

“ Now for a march to double-quick time! ” said f 


THE YOUNH MAROONERS 


163 


Robert, his strong excitement making him the leader 
in all that was done. But, sister, what shall we 
do with you and Frank? You cannot keep pace with 
us. You had better stay here with Sam, while Har- 
old and I push on to the coast, and see who is there. ’ ^ 

Had we not better fire once more? ’’ suggested 
Harold. 

Sam can do it,^’ Robert answered. Here, 
Sam, put in so much, ’ ’ he said, showing him the quan- 
tity, ^ ^ and fire until you are sure they hear you. But 
what is that ? ^ ^ he continued, listening to a loud roar 
that came from the coast, and increased like the ac- 
cumulating rush of waters. 

It is a hurricane,’^ replied Harold. There is 
no use in trying to go now. Down with the tent pins! 
deep! deep! or we shall have our tent blown from 
above us.’’ 

They all hastened to do what could be done for 
their immediate protection ; but there was little to be 
done. Gaining wisdom from their former experience, 
they had driven down the pins, when the tent was 
pitched, as far as they could go, and moreover had 
raised the floor and trenched the premises. They 
could only make the upper canvas a little more 
secure; and having done this, they entered the tent a 
few seconds before the storm burst upon them. It 
was a terrible repetition of what they had experi- 
enced four months before, when Sam was so nearly 
destroyed. 

Mary and Frank were in deep distress. The ear- 
nest impetuosity of Robert, combined with their own 


164 


THE YOUNG MAKOONEES 


thoughts, had left in their minds no doubt that the 
guns fired were from their father; and now, 0 what 
a storm to meet him on his coming a second time 
to their truly enchanted island! Frank cried as if 
his heart would break. Mary buried her face in her 
hands, and prayed. 

Harold also was strongly convinced that the guns 
were from his uncle, but he knew that this was only 
conjectural, and therefore he kindly remarked in 
the hearing of the others. 

You have no certain reason, Eobert, to believe 
that those guns are from your father. But suppose 
that they are, then another thing is true: he is in a 
vessel; for boats do not usually carry guns. They 
were fired too before the storm came on; therefore 
they are not signals of distress, and also they ap- 
pear to have come from the river. Now, if the person 
who fired them is in a vessel, and in the river, what 
is there to fear? He cannot get away to-night, and 
he cannot probably be hurt by the storm. Let us 
be quiet until morning, and then go out to see who 
it is.^’ 

These thoughts were very comforting. Mar^^ and 
Frank ceased their weeping, and united in the con- 
versation. They all huddled together in the middle 
of the tent. For hours the wind roared and howled 
with great fury, but their tent was protected by the 
grand wall of forest trees around, and also by the 
picket enclosure; and, though the wind made the can- 
vas flutter, it could neither crush it down nor lift it 
from above them. Nor did the rain, which poured in 


THE YOUNG MAROONERS 


165 


torrents, and was driven with great violence across 
the prairie, give them any particular inconvenience ; 
it was readily shed by the several thicknesses of can- 
vas overhead, and carried off by the trench round the 
tent. 

About midnight the rain ceased, and the wind 
began to abate. Puff after puff, and roar after roar 
still succeeded each other through the forest ; but the 
fury of the storm was over. An hour before day, 
Harold shook Robert by the shoulder, and said, I 
think we can start now. Come and see.^’ 

The sky and woods were pitch dark, little pools 
of water covered the ground, and the prairie was 
rough with huge branches torn from the trees. 
These were inconveniences, but, as the wind had so 
far lulled that it was possible for a torch to live, 
Robert decided to make a trial. He waked Mary and 
Sam, and, announcing his intention, said to them. 
We wish to reach the old encampment by the 
time there is light enough to see over the river. If 
possible, we will return by eight o ^clock, and let you 
know all. If we are absent longer than that, you 
may conclude that we have found something to do; 
and in that case, you had better follow us. We shall, 
of course, be somewhere on the river; but as we our- 
selves do not know where, you had better go direct 
to Duck Point, from which you can see almost all 
the way to our old spring. Let me have a piece of 
white cloth, sister. I will, if necessary, set up a sig- 
nal for you on the beach, to tell you where we are.’^ 

Taking their guns, the spyglass, and a bundle of 


THE YOUNG MAROONERS 




splints of lightwood, the boys set out. They were 
fortunate in being able to reach the river by the 
break of day. 

Nothing yet was distinctly visible. The river and 
marsh looked like a dark abyss, from which rolled 
hoarse and angry murmurs. They gathered some 
wet fragments of pine left by them near the oak, and 
made a fire, beside which they sat and talked. Was 
there any person on the river? Surely it was time to 
hear some voice or gun, or to see some answering 
light. When the light of day more fully revealed the 
scene, they descried, at the distance of two miles, 
an object which the glass showed to be a small vessel 
of the pilot boat class, dismantled, and on her beam 
ends. This sight filled them with apprehension. 

There was no person visible. Was there any one 
alive within? The companion-way was closed. Pos- 
sibly the firing of a gun might cause any one who 
might be on board to give some sign of life. 

The boys made ready to shoot, but neither gun 
could be discharged. The powder was wet. The 
only leak in the tent the night before had been 
directly over the guns, and the rain had dripped 
into the barrels. It was vain to attempt cleansing 
them; and if they succeeded in producing a dis- 
charge, how could that help the persons on board? 

‘‘ No, no,’’ said Eobert, what they want is our 
boat. Let us get that, and go immediately to their 
rescue. ’ ’ 

Before leaving the bluff they planted conspicu- 
ously a small pole, in the cleft top of which Eobert 


THE YOUNG MAEOONERS 


167 


slipped a piece of paper, on which was written, We 
have gone for our boat; you will see us as we pass. 
Robert. ’ ^ 

When they arrived at the orange landing they 
found the boat ankle-deep with water, and there was 
no gourd with which to bale it. Robert’s ingenuity 
devised a plan; he threw into the boat an armful of 
moss, which soaked up the water like a sponge. 

After a short delay they pushed from shore. To 
their delight, the tide was so high that they could 
row over the marsh in a straight line to the river, 
which was hardly a mile distant. On their way the 
sun burst through a cloud, and appeared so high as 
to prove that the hour of eight had already passed, 
and that Marj^’s company were probably on their way 
to the point before them. The water in the river was 
dark and rough, from the action of the neighboring 
sea, but undisturbed by wind. On reaching the 
river they hallooed to know whether the party by 
land had reached the point. Hearing no answer, they 
resumed their oars, and crossed to the other side of 
the river, where the water was more smooth. 

We will now leave them for awhile, and return to 
the company at the tent. Rising and taking a hasty 
meal, they set out upon their march. Sam led the 
van with a gun upon his shoulder, and a gourd of 
water in his hand. Mary followed, carrying a basket 
of provisions, and Frank went from one to the other, 
at will, or lagged behind to watch the motions of the 
dogs, that looked thoughtful, as if aware that some- 
thing unusual was on hand. 


168 


THE YOUNG MAROONERS 


The ground was still quite wet, and they were 
compelled to pick their way round little pools and 
puddles that lay in their path; hut with care they 
succeeded so well that they would have reached 
Duck Point in advance of the boys, had it not been 
for a circumstance that filled them with gloom. 

Nearing the point, the dogs, that had hitherto fol- 
lowed very demurely behind, pricked up their ears, 
and trotted briskly toward the water-side. Sam 
noticed this, and remarked, Dey after tukkey 
I ’speck, but we a’nt got no time fo’ tukkey now.” 
Soon after, their attention was arrested by hearing 
a cry from the dogs, which was neither a bark nor a 
whine, but a note of distress made up of both. 

Eh! eh! ” said Sam, W’at dem dog after now? 
Dat no cry for deer, nor for tukkey, nor for squirrel. 
Missus, you and Mas Frank stay here one minute, till 
I go see w’at dem dog about. I sho’ dey got some’n 
strange. Only harkee how dey talk ! ’ ’ 

Sam was in fact fearful that some sad accident 
had befallen Robert and Harold, and that the dogs, 
having scented them by the light wind coming down 
the river, had given utterance to this moan of dis- 
tress. He therefore walked with hurried steps in 
the direction from which the sound proceeded, while 
Mary and Frank, unwilling to be left alone, followed 
slowly behind him. He had not gained more than 
twenty paces the advance, when they saw him stop— 
run a few steps forward— then stop again, and lift 
up his hands with an exclamation of surprise. They 
hurried to his side, and found him gazing, with looks 


THE YOUNG MAROONEKS 


169 


of horror, into a little strip of bushes that skirted 
the margin of the tide water. 

‘ ^ What is the matter, Sam ? ^ ^ inquired Mary. 

Look, Missus,’^ he replied, pointing with his 
finger, ^ ^ enty * dat some people drown dey in de 
ma^sh! 

Mary and Frank looked, and saw what appeared 
to be, in truth, the bodies of two persons fast locked 
in each other’s arms, and lodged upon the top of 
a submerged willow, which allowed them to sway 
back and forth with the undulations of the water. 
Sam was hesitating what to do— for negroes are al- 
most universally superstitious about dead people. 
Mary urged him on. 

You will not leave them there, will you? ” she 
inquired; you will surely draw them out, and see 
who they are. May be, too, they are not dead. 0 
get them out, Sam, get them out at once. ’ ’ 

Shamed out of his superstitious fear, Sam reluc- 
tantly obeyed the injunction of his mistress. He 
waded carefully and timidly along, until he could 
lay hold of the bodies, and drag them to the shore. 

^ ^ W ’ite man and nigger. Missus, ’ ’ he said solemnly, 
as the movement through the water revealed the pale 
features of the one, and the woolly head of the other. 

De w’ite man, I dun-know t who he is. He look like 
sailor; and de nigger—” He had now drawn them 
ashore, and examined their features. It would have 
made any one’s heart sad to hear the groan that 
came from the poor fellow, when he had looked 


* Is not that. 


t Don’t know. 


170 


THE YOUNG MAROONERS 


steadily into the face of the dead man. He staggered, 
fell on his knees in the water, embraced the wet body, 
and kissed it. 

0 my Missns,’’ he cried, ^Mt is Peter! my own 
brudder Peter! De only brudder I got in dis wide 
wull. 0 Peter— Peter! ’’ and he wept like a child. 

‘ ‘ Draw them out, Sam, ’ ’ said Mary, energetically ; 
draw them on high ground, and let us rub them as 
we rubbed you. There may be life in them yet. ’ ’ 

No, Missus,’’ he replied, pulling the bodies 
higher ashore. No life here. He cold— he stiff— 
he dead. 0 Peter, my brudder, I glad to meet you 
once mo.’ Huddee, Peter! Huddee, boy! ” The poor 
fellow actually shook hands with the corpse, and 
poured out afresh his unaffected sorrow. 

As soon as the bodies were drawn sufficiently from 
the water, Mary proceeded to examine them. The 
face of the white man was unknown to her. He ap- 
peared to have been a sailor. He and Peter were 
evidently dead. She was so certain they were beyond 
all hope of recovery, that she did not even require 
their clothes to be unloosed, or any means to be used 
for their restoration. She waited for the mourning 
brother to get over the first burst of his grief, and 
then she and Prank aided him to make a sort of 
brushwood fence round the bodies, to protect them 
until something could be done for their interment. 

It was while they were engaged in this last duty 
that Eobert and Harold passed the point. Their 
halloo might, under ordinary circumstances, have 
been heard; but with their own occupation of mind, 


THE YOUNG MAKOONEES 


171 


tlie rustle of bushes dragged along, and the roar of 
the distant surf, the voices from the boat sounded in 
vain. 

From the point the boys proceeded, it has been 
mentioned, to the other side of the river, to escape the 
waves that dashed heavily against the island. The 
whole marsh, from bluff to bluff, was one flood of 
water, with the exception of patches of the more 
luxuriant herbage that peered above the surface. 
The mangroves, though generally immersed, broke 
so completely the violence of the waves, that the 
water above and around them was comparatively 
smooth, while in the channel of the river it was too 
rough for safety. 

Picking their way over the tops of the low bushes, 
and around the branching summits of the taller, the 
boys rowed steadily towards the unfortunate vessel 
which they had descried. They had gone not more 
than half a mile from shore, when they heard a gun ; 
and, looking back, saw Mary^s company beckoning 
to them. It was too late to return, without great 
sacrifice of time; and Eobert pointed with one hand 
to the distant vessel, and with the other to the place 
of the old encampment. These signs were under- 
stood; the company on shore, after looking steadily 
at the distant object on the water, disappeared in the 
woods, and afterwards reappeared above the old 
spring. 

The labor of rowing increased as the boat pro- 
ceeded. The passage through the marsh became 
more intricate, and the swell from sea began to be 


172 


THE YOUNG MAEOONEKS 


more sensibly felt tlirongb the irregular openings. 
But with the increase of difficulties came also an in- 
crease of energy, as they approached the vessel. 
They were now about a quarter of a mile distant. 

Eeaching the vessel, they rowed silently round the 
bow. They moored the boat to the broken mast, and 
then clambered up to the cabin door. Eobert could 
not say one word; his heart had risen to his mouth, 
and he felt almost ready to faint. 

Halloo! ’’ cried Harold, his own voice husky 
with emotion, is anybody within! 

Thank God! ’’ responded a voice near the cabin 
door. It was a female voice, and its familiar tones 
thrilled Harold ^s soul. Yes, yes, there are three of 
us here. Who is that calling! ” 

‘ ‘ Harold McIntosh and Eobert Gordon, ^ ^ answered 
Harold. 

The next instant the boys heard the voice of Dr. 
Gordon, asking in tones that showed he was strug- 
gling to command himself. 

My children, are you all well! ’’ 

Yes, father, all well,’^ Eobert replied. He wished 
to ask also, Is mother here! but his voice failed, 
and he gave vent to a passionate flood of tears. He 
then heard his aunt call out, Come, help mte, 
brother. She has fainted.’^ This satisfied him that 
liis mother was there. 

As speedily as he could Dr. Gordon unfastened the 
bolt of the cabin door, and removed various appli- 
ances that he had used to keep the water from find- 
ing its way into his sister ^s berth. He thus gave the 


THE YOUNG MAROONERS 


173 


boys access to the cabin. It was not long before each 
was locked in his mother ^s arms. 

Mrs. Gordon was very feeble, and her face much 
emaciated with suffering. She said little more at 
first than to ask after Mary and Frank. This silence 
alarmed Eobert. His father, seeing him look anx- 
iously into her pale, thin face, remarked, ^ ‘ She will 
recover fast enough now. The only medicine she 
needed was to meet you all. ^ ^ 

0, yes,’’ she too observed. *• Give me now my 
dear Mary and Frank, and I think I shall soon get 
well.” 

We can give them to you in an hour, if you 
are able to bear removal,” said Robert. Is she 
able, father? ” 

Yes, yes, able enough,” his father answered. 

And, I presume, we had better go before the tide 
recedes, or we may be caught in the marsh. Come, 
let us load without delay. ’ ’ 

They removed to the boat the trunks and other 
things needful; the boys relating all the while to 
their delighted parents what a beautiful prairie 
home they had, and how well it was stocked with 
every comfort. Everything,” said Eobert, ex- 
cept father and mother; and now we are taking them 
there. ’ ’ 

The boat was brought close to the vessel’s side, 
and held there firmly by Dr. Gordon, while the ladies 
were assisted by the boys. And with what pride 
those mothers leaned upon their brave and manly 
gQns — grown far more manly since their exile — may 


174 


;j’HE YOUNG MAKOONEKS 


be imagined, but cannot be described. Mrs. Gordon 
recovered her vivacity, and a great portion of her 
strength, before she left the cabin. Joy had inspired 
her heart, and energized her muscles. Mrs. McIn- 
tosh also seemed to grow happier every moment, as 
she discovered the mental and moral development 
of her son. Dr. Gordon, having carefully closed the 
companion-way, took the helm, and the boys the oars, 
while the mothers, with their faces towards the bow, 
looked with eyes of love and admiration upon the 
young laborers, who were requiting life for life, and 
love for love, that had been bestowed on them in their 
infancy. 

As they were passing through the marsh, Mrs. 
Gordon spied two human figures on a distant 
bluff. They looked exceedingh^ small, but were dis- 
tinctly marked against the sky. 

‘ ‘ Can those be my dear little Mary and Frank ! ’ ’ 
she asked. 

The boys replied that they were, and she waved 
her handkerchief to them. 

The water was still so rough in the channel, that, 
anxious as the parents were to embrace their long- 
lost children. Dr. Gordon decided that, instead of at- 
tempting the passage directly across, in their heavily 
loaded skiff, they must continue up the river, through 
the irregular openings of the marsh. 

They came at last near enough to be discovered 
by Mary and Frank, who, seeing the boatload of 
passengers going up the river, needed no invitation 
to meet them at Duck Point. The two companies 


THE YOUNG MAliOONERS 


175 


reached the beach about the same time. Frank 
rushed right through the water, and sprang into his 
mother ’s lap ; Mary was lifted into the boat by Rob- 
ert ; and Sam, though he was saddened by the melan- 
choly fate of his brother, came with open lips and 
shining teeth, to shake hands with Mossa and Missus, 
as soon as the children gave him an opportunity. 

Here they stopped long enough to allow the hungry 
boys to refresh themselves from Mary’s basket of 
provisions, and Sam’s gourd of water. They were 
almost ravenous. Dr. Gordon then went with Rob- 
ert overland, to bring the other boat from the prairie 
to the portage, while Harold and Sam conducted the 
company by water to the orange landing. From this 
latter place Mrs. McIntosh preferred to walk alone 
with her son to the tent, leaving the others to descend 
the river. 

During this part of the voyage. Dr. Gordon first 
learned with certainty the fate of Peter and the 
sailor. As soon therefore as Mrs. Gordon had landed, 
he left Robert to support her to the tent, and re- 
entering the boat with Sam, went to rescue the 
bodies from their exposure, and to prepare them for 
decent burial. It was late in the afternoon when 
they returned; and, as the best they could do with 
the dead bodies, they left them all night in the boat, 
covered with a sail, and pushed a little distance from 
the land. 

The young housekeepers laid themselves out to 
entertain their welcome guests. Mary provided them 
with a delightful supper, which was highly seasoned 


176 


THE YOUNG MAROONERS 


with love and good will, and the young people gave 
snatches of their eventful history. It was late before 
any one thought of retiring. Then Dr. Gordon called 
for a copy of the Scriptures. He talked of their sep- 
aration, and sorrows, their dangers, and escapes, and 
their joyful reunion. After that, he read the ninety- 
first Psalm, which speaks of the protection that God 
promises to his people; and, kneeling down, he of- 
fered their united thanksgiving for all the past, and 
a prayer that the Lord would be their God, and make 
them his loving, grateful people. When they rose 
from their knees, every eye was wet with tears of 
gratitude and joy. 

This history has been extended far beyond the 
limits originally proposed. It is time to close with a 
few hurried words. 

Poor Peter was buried the next night by torchlight, 
according to the romantic custom prevalent among 
the negroes. Locked in each other’s arms, he and 
the sailor were laid in the same grave, and double 
head and foot boards were sunk to mark the spot. 

After much labor and many dangers and delays 
(to recount which would require almost another 
volume), the party raised and launched their little 
vessel, recovered the sail-boat, provided suitably for 
their brute pets, sailed from the island, and in due 
course of time arrived safely at Bellevue. 

The Marooning Party was over. 



View of beach, Tampa Bay, wliere they landed, as it looks to-day. 




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